In a significant turn of events, 71-year-old former Vice Chancellor of Calicut University, Abdul Salam, has secured a ticket to contest the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha Elections from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Salam, who is an expert in soil management, is the only Muslim candidate in the first list of 195 candidates released by the BJP for the general elections.
In a recent interview with BBC, Salam criticised local Mullahs and urged voters not to listen to them. He said, “There is no need to pay attention to what local mullahs say about this being infidel or that. What is an infidel? Until you accepted Islam, you too were an infidel. Let them remain infidels. My real work is to end this ignorance in Modi’s light. My mantra is to believe in Allah, the Quran, the Bible, and the Bhagavad Gita. If you look at all the religious texts, you will see that they all teach humanity, love, and care. Modi also believes in this.”
While praising PM Modi, he said that he has not seen a better person than PM Modi. Abdul Salam said, “I have not seen a better person than Modi. He may be a Hindu, but that’s not his fault. He believes in Sanatan Dharma. You see, even the Quran has these things. Some mullahs have twisted and presented the original Quran and have misled the youth.”
Sharing his experience of meeting PM Modi, Salam said, “He did not smile but he shook hands with me. I can still feel the softness of his palm. I felt a warmth-filled experience.”
Salam comes from a humble background and a distinguished career in academics and research. He has worked as a visiting professor in Suriname and Kuwait. During the interview, Salam profusely praised PM Modi and described him as an unparalleled leader. He added that PM Modi’s personality, mission, vision and work captivated him. He said, “The entire world revolves around Modi ji. His inclusive vision sees the country as one, which is his strength. I’ve been observing his journey from Gujarat to Delhi over the last 21 years.” Salam added that PM Modi’s anti-Muslim image is a fabricated narrative by the opposition.
Salam’s candidature is being seen as a strategic move by the BJP. Salam is contesting the election from Malappuram, Kerala, where Muslims are in the majority and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has a stronghold. With Salam as a candidate, the BJP has attempted to address the criticism of being anti-Muslim. It also goes in sync with the party’s notion of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas” where BJP is trying to include every section of the society for its vision for 2047 when the country will celebrate 100 years of independence.
