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Hukum Singh, the BJP MP from Kairana in western Uttar Pradesh, is no stranger to controversy. His statement that Hindus were being forced to leave his constituency in large numbers had kicked up quite a controversy, and the MP stood his ground despite reports to the contrary. Last week, he said India should be prepared for another Partition that will happen in 10-20 years. News18’s Eram Agha caught up with the BJP leader who says that Muslims are being used as vote banks by Congress, SP and BSP and it is fracturing the society.
You argued that Hindus were fleeing Kairana, which was refuted by many. Even the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and National Commission for Minorities (NCM) came up with contradictory reports. Do you still stand by your statement?
I don’t think there is any contradiction. Actually, the minority commission has no role to play in that investigation. The NHRC stayed there for several days, visited all the affected families and all the affected places, collected all the facts and submitted their report. On the other hand, only one or two members of National Minority Commission visited for a day. And under some influence they thought it to be proper to contradict the report of NHRC. It was said that people whose names appeared in the exodus list were actually living there. I don’t agree with that. This happened because the entire government machinery was deployed to contradict the version. They wanted to establish there was no mass exodus, and some fake people were presented to the media. It was based on impersonation. This fact was known to me, but at that time I couldn’t do anything because the government machinery was totally briefed by the political bureaucracy.
You recently addressed a seminar by Hindu Front for Justice on the topic ‘Ek Bharat Abhiyan — Kashmir Ki Aur’ on the “migration of Hindus from Kashmir and Kairana”. Do you seriously believe the Kairana exodus, as you claim, is comparable to the exodus of Pandit families from Kashmir after the onset of militancy?
In Kashmir and Kairana, the same thing happened. In this regime of Samajwadi Party, action was not taken against the criminals, who incidentally came from a particular community. Their names suggested that they came from a particular community. They started harassing peaceful traders in Kairana, started extorting money from them and if their demands were not met, they killed the traders in broad daylight. On top of that, no effective action was taken by police, it created a sense of fear and apprehension in the minds of the traders, who are the peaceful class of the society. There was a constant mass exodus from Kairana. Isn’t it similar to Kashmir? People from the particular community were forced to leave Kashmir too, they left in fear. They were humiliated, insulted. The same thing happened in Kairana. Though geographically Kairana is a small place, the situation is the same. They were called militants, we call them criminals. Now what is happening in Kashmir, efforts are being made to bring the community back, same thing is happening in Kairana, if ensured safety the families might come back.
In Kashmir and Kairana, the same thing happened… They were called militants in Kashmir, we call them criminals in Kairana
At the BJP’s Parivartan Yatra in Kairana, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh reportedly said the “self-respect of mothers and sisters is being looted” in the region and if the BJP is voted to power in the state, it will act against “those using muscle power to terrorise people”. Who was he referring to?
Everything depends on the new government that comes to existence, and that is when we will ask for a very fair, independent investigation. Right now, the district machinery is under the state government’s influence and they are not expected to give a fair deal to the victims. Rajnath Singh also said in clear words that action will be taken against those who are forcing others to flee. He was referring to the same people who were responsible for the migration of people from one particular community. I raised this question so many times but nothing happened, and since the present government was all out to appease the particular community to fetch their votes, I don’t expect any justice from them.
In that function, you also said there will be a new Partition. That there will be another Pakistan. Can you please elaborate?
If you study the entire history of Partition, you will find why India was partitioned. Everybody fought for the Independence of the country but why a particular section became so powerful that they got the Partition done? Why? What’s the psychology here? Let me tell you: Since they were ruling the country for last so many years, or rather several hundred years that complex was there in their mind: “Look there will be democracy, there will be elections and a particular section was in majority. That section that was ruled by them, will now rule them.” I think this was the psychology. I call it fear of the future and pride in the past and this created problem for the country, which led to Partition.
If you look at the scenario of the country now, not a single Muslim is the chief minister in the country, (except in Kashmir) the same thing is going to happen. There is no Muslim chief minister in Bihar, Bengal, Assam and in this backdrop the psyche is working. Psychologically people are thinking on these lines. If Muslims come to that conclusion – look we are not getting justice here, let us demand… they will do it. My conclusion is coming from the circumstances and historical understanding.
SP and BSP destroyed Uttar Pradesh. People fear for their life here. Akhilesh Yadav is a child; the chief minister of 20 crore people gets happy with a road being built.
What do you think is the problem here and who should be blamed?
Actually, there is no proper dialogue between societies, and now that confidence is not there. Look at the BJP, it is a national party, it has state governments in so many states, but has only some symbolical Muslims and the Muslim community does not accept them as Muslims. How can you go on ruling such a vast class without giving them share in the power? There should have been bigger effort and it has not taken place. I am not against any community. But it is my own analysis, studies and experience. I live in a town with 85% Muslims and 15% Hindus: Kairana. I live there so I can understand how peacefully we were living 20-25 years back. We were attending social functions. There is a mosque close to my house and I contributed to its expansion. Still why not a single Muslim CM? Because we made no sincere efforts, we only want votes and after getting votes we forget. Congress did the worst thing – they only used Muslims as their votes, and same was done by SP and BSP. Congress parties got votes telling them ‘BJP will eat you’. BJP has been made a Hindu party, but there are Hindus in other parties also. Why should they create fear against BJP? What has it done? Gujarat (riots) was unfortunate, should not have happened, but go to the root of it – it started in Godhra.
You specifically mentioned AMU and Sir Syed Ahmed Khan in that speech. What's your opinion on AMU and Khan?
Sir Syed was not very happy with the situation prevalent at that time, he used to call people here, ‘dirty Indians’, thought of us as animals, he was in awe of British, he would say “look at the British, they are so cultured”. Sir Syed was communal. He had no affection for the people of the country, and purpose of Muhammadan Anglo Oriental College was how to bring Muslims in the mainstream of the country. He thought of a particular community not India. Today, Aligarh Muslim University, of course, is playing a crucial role in creating distrust in the society, all fanatic leaders like Azam Khan are from AMU, has he ever talked sense? So many times BJP leaders cancelled their programs. Students give in to sloganeering against them.
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan used to call people here, ‘dirty Indians’, thought of us as animals, he was in awe of British. He was communal. Today, Aligarh Muslim University is playing a crucial role in creating distrust in the society
So will Partition and exodus be election issues in western UP this time for the assembly polls?
The party will decide on the issues though for me, main issue is of development and security for every person in Kairana. Migration should not take place. After Kairana exodus was taken up, some confidence crept in the community. Now they know that, “yes we will be looked after”. The situation is getting a little normal. That is the achievement. Some improvement has taken place but still the criminal elements are active. In Akbarpur Sonethi, people belonging to the Kashyap community are being harassed and tortured. I am going to take it up. I am in touch with the administration and the family.
In Akbarpur Sonethi, people belonging to the Kashyap community are being harassed and tortured. I am going to take it up. I am in touch with the administration and the families.
Also, in Kairana some criminals have become icons of Muslim community. This will antagonize the society against them. If we come to power all the goons will be behind bars, there will be a list in every thana to grab them. There will be no discrimination between Hindus and Muslims. If you see, SP and BSP destroyed Uttar Pradesh, there has been no development, not a single industry has come up in the state. People fear for their life here. I know that three major industries left Noida. All goons were collecting money, in fact kidnapping became an industry in Uttar Pradesh. Akhilesh Yadav is a child, CM of 20 crore people becomes happy with a road being built.
How will the demonetisation drive affect BJP’s chances in the state assembly polls?
Yesterday, I went to three village in Saharanpur, when the question of demonetization came people were happy. All the farmers said it was such a historical thing. They assured of a big hawa in assembly elections…bigger than it was in 2014 general elections because of this move. I was surprised. I did not find a single critic of this project. Media on the other hand is competing – one is reporting on a man queuing for three days, another is reporting on death. But people are happy about the fact that five lakh crore that was lying dead as black money will now be in the treasury of the government and it will be used for development.
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