'Muslims cannot find a better place to live than India'

During the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 1999, he was the youngest cabinet minister at the age of 32, which still is a record in Indian political history.

Having held various positions in the cabinet, Hussain, 50, has contested and won the Lok Sabha elections from Bhagalpur, Bihar, five times, but lost in 2014 by a small margin.

The longest serving national spokesperson of the party is also part of BJP’s highest decision-making 12-member Central Election Committee that decides on candidates and their constituencies.

He speaks to Gulf News in an exclusive interview:

GULF NEWS: In a show of strength, regional parties are saying that Modi’s era is in its last leg and 2019 will witness a new government.

SYED SHAHNAWAZ HUSSAIN: Congress is apt at saying such things and so are those who are anti-Modi. But the PM’s popularity has rather gone up. His development work for the nation speaks a thousand words.

Admittedly, some sections of the upper caste poor were a bit disgruntled, but he has granted 10 per cent reservation in jobs and higher education for them. Millions have benefited because of the schemes introduced and implemented by him. He will certainly be the PM in 2019.

While BJP blames the opposition of ‘caste politics’, isn’t that ‘appeasement politics’?

It’s rather justice to all; appeasement to none. There’s no justification that economically backward sections in the general category should be bereft of facilities. So, people with an annual income of below Rs800,000 and those with agricultural land below five hectares will be eligible.

Congress party President Rahul Gandhi is constantly pitching for a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe the Rafael (fighter jet) deal. How do you intend convincing the electorate?

The Supreme Court said, "We are satisfied that there is no occasion to doubt the process of signing the Rafale jet deal." Does the Congress think it is higher then the Supreme Court? On his recent visit abroad, Rahul said there’s intolerance in India.

When Modi came to power in 2014, there was a perception that he was against the Muslim community. The view was unfounded and stands defeated today. See the track record. Ever since Modi came to power there has been no communal riot or curfew in any state.

But even Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah recently remarked on the growing intolerance in India. He said, he was worried for his children and if an angry mob surrounded them and asked if they were Hindus or Muslims, they would have no answer. Belonging to the Muslim community, what is your reaction?

Naseeruddin bhai (brother) is famous for being a brilliant actor, not because he is a Muslim. He has earned so much love, adulation and prosperity from India. It does not suit his persona to defame his own country. Globally, our country is home to the most number of Muslims. And I can categorically state that anywhere in the world, Muslims cannot find a better place to live than India and a better friend than a Hindu.

Globally, our country is home to a maximum number of Muslims. And I can categorically state that anywhere in the world, Muslims cannot find a better place to live than India and a better friend than a Hindu.

- Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, BJP’s longest-serving national spokesperson

PM’s motto for the country is: ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’ (collective efforts, inclusive growth). When he introduced Ujjwala Scheme (providing free LPG connections to all poor households), Saubhagya Scheme (world’s largest rural electrification programme), Ayushmaan Bharat (world’s largest government-funded healthcare scheme), Mudra Scheme (affordable credit to small enterprises), Jan Dhan Scheme (access to financial services, including bank accounts, remittances and pension) or construction of toilet in every household, did he differentiate between communities?

Can BJP-NDA (National Democratic Alliance) replicate the 2014 results of winning 73 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh? The state is likely to witness a three-way contest among the BJP, Congress and Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party (SP-BSP) alliance.

In the present set-up, the SP-BSP combine has not considered Congress even worthy of an alliance. They have offered it two seats — Amethi and Rae Bareilly, in charity. This time, we shall win even more seats than last time in UP.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said it took 25 minutes to bury 25 years of animosity with the BSP chief Mayawati. How does BJP plan to counter-attack this bonding that’s gaining foothold among the dalit (lower caste) and OBC (Other Backward Class) vote bank?

Modi has forced rivals to stick like Fevicol (glue) in UP. Those forging alliances are all scared of BJP. The opposition parties have been talking of maha gathbandhan (grand alliance), but we don’t see that happening anywhere. This terminology, coined by Lalu Yadav, is a big failure.

Modi has forced rivals to stick like Fevicol (glue) in UP. Those forging alliances are all scared of BJP. The opposition parties have been talking of maha gathbandhan (grand alliance), but we don’t see that happening anywhere.

- Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, BJP’s longest-serving national spokesperson

What about Congress giving a jolt to your party in recent assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh?

Agreed, we lost. Still, in MP it was by marginal votes, whereas in the last elections, we won by a margin of over 500,000 votes in several seats in different states.

Talking about coalitions, recently, the PM said BJP’s doors are open on alliances. But it seems to have lost the art of retaining allies. Will this factor affect your party’s prospects in the case of a hung Parliament?

Telugu Desam Party did not go; we sent it because of its drawbacks. Chandrababu Naidu failed to keep up his election promises to the electorate. Though Congress is supportive of TDP, it is repenting. With 34 alliance partners, we are on a strong footing.

What about RLSP (Rashtriya Lok Samta Party) walking out in December, Apna Dal in UP bargaining on more seats and the Shiv Sena all set to contest alone in Maharashtra?

RLSP’s entry into Parliament happened because of BJP and Apna Dal is not going anywhere. As for Shiv Sena, it may make unpleasant comments, but remains with the BJP.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016, is creating rebellion within the BJP in the North-East due to its structure. Will you be able to hold on to the NEDA (North East Democratic Alliance) with regional parties?

India is a Hindu-majority country. And non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan will be eligible for Indian citizenship.

Muslims have been excluded, because their religion is not under threat in these countries, unlike in the case of Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis and Buddhists.

Muslims from Bangladesh and Myanmar sneak into India for employment, but this is wrong. That’s because we have to first worry about 220 million Muslims living in India.

The government has re-promulgated the Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance 2019, making triple talaq a criminal offence. Will the Bill see the light in Rajya Sabha during the budget session in February?

Triple talaq is banned in 22 Islamic countries. Keeping in mind the rights of Muslim women, whatever is ideal in those countries, we have tried to imbibe that here. The Congress is trying to pose hurdles, but we shall try.

About Hussain