Lucknow: In an apparent bid to shun his Hindutva image, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh on Wednesday claimed Muslims do not see him as anti-minority as he had never discriminated against them during his tenure which also saw the razing of the Babri mosque.
"Letters and phone calls are coming in hordes not just from Hindus but also from Muslims who have hailed my decision to quit the BJP and also the coming together of two politicians (him and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav)," Singh said.
While trying to steer clear of the ripples of revolt in the SP, specially by party MPs over his coming closer, Singh stressed that he had never been opposed to Muslims and had proved it while leading the saffron government twice.
"The works taken up by me proved that I had worked for the welfare of all and had never discriminated against Muslims," he said, adding BJP would be weakened following his resignation.
"Muslims are against the BJP and not me and now that my target is also to bury the saffron party they (Muslims) have welcomed my resignation with open arms," he said.
Kalyan Singh has also apologised for the Babri Masjid demolition.
"I took the moral responsibility of Babri Masjid demolition and that’s why I resigned from the post of chief minister," said Kalyan Singh.
Kalyan also said that the self-respect of Muslims should also be protected.
Singh, who had once termed the Babri mosque as a symbol of slavery, also sang a different tune when he spoke about the ills of politics of caste and religion rampant in the country.
Babri Masjid, which was in Ayodhya, was demolished on December 6, 1992, by a group of workers belonging to the saffron camp.
"Politics of caste and religion just serve to divide the country," Singh said.
The former BJP stalwart, who is believed to have made a great contribution in changing the electoral fortunes of the party in Uttar Pradesh, also said parties should stop pitting Hindus against Muslims for their "political interests and igniting communal passions".
To a question on the BJP's support base among Hindus, Singh, without elaborating, said they (Hindus) have also been cheated by the saffron party and they have realised it.
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Terming his camaraderie with Yadav as "natural friendship", Singh said while alliances and understandings fall apart, friendships stand the test of time.
"While the party I had devoted my life in strengthening did not even take my advice on many occasions, SP is accepting my advice on the issue of Lok Sabha elections."
He said along with SP he would soon work towards ending BSP's "political terrorism" and "autocracy" in Uttar Pradesh.
He claimed that BJP would not fare well in Uttar Pradesh.
"All the stalwarts in UP are in for a big shock and the BJP tally would remain confined to three to four seats only," he said.
Maintaining that he had not asked anyone to quit the party, he said a "BJP choro saptah" (Quit BJP Week) is being observed and workers are resigning in large numbers.
Singh refused to speak on his prodigy Kusum Rai, who has decided to remain in the BJP which had sent her to the Rajya Sabha in the recent biennial elections.
Kalyan Singh - who was the Hindutva-posterboy at the height of Ramjanambhoomi movement - was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh when the Masjid was demolished.
Meanwhile, Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas President Mahant Gopal Das said Kalyan Singh has been one of the leaders of 'Ram Mandir' movement and he should not support Samajwadi Party.
Talking to reporters in Kanpur on Tuesday, Mahant Das said it would be detrimental for the SP, if Singh joins it.
Speaking on the BJP leadership, Mahant Das said veteran leaders now should take retirement from active politics and encourage the young leaders to come forward and take charge of the party.
Kalyan Singh's new friendship with the SP has now sparked off a tit fot tat between new friends - the SP and the Congress.
"When Babari was demolished who was ruling at the centre," says SP president, Mulayam Singh.
UP Congress President Rita Bahuguna Joshi went on the defensive on Kalyan Singh's statement saying, "Congress had publicly apologised over the Babri Masjid demolition incident. Muslims are not angry at us. Congress will contest in all the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh."
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