Seventy-three-year-old Dr Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, the RSS in-charge for Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, is busy campaigning for the BJP in coastal districts of Karnataka, especially Dakshina Kannada.
The septuagenarian is also known as the “Bal Thackeray of the south”. For many in the coastal region, he is a respected educationist and social worker, and for others he is a religious fanatic.
This election, Kalladka Bhat, is openly campaigning for the BJP, and especially for the party’s state President BS Yeddyurappa.
He talks to TNM on the election campaign, communal politics and cow politics in the coastal districts. Here are some excerpts from his interview.
This is the first time you are campaigning for elections. Why did you decide to do so now?
It is a question of the nation’s existence. This is a precursor to the General Elections next year. At the national level, the Modi government is doing well. The government is making efforts to build India’s reputation in the international arena. The Modi government’s work has to go on, so Karnataka polls are a preparation for it. I see this election as a fight between truth and falsehood, justice and injustice, morality and immorality. The country should develop, for that Congress must be eradicated and Modi government should come to power once more. This means that more effort is required, that is why I decided to campaign on behalf of the BJP.
You and Environment and Forest Minister Ramanath Rai are sworn enemies. Is that also your motivation?
I do not have any personal rivalry with Ramanath Rai. We differ in our ideology. I have never coveted his wealth and I don’t have any wealth for him to covet. He is indulging in activities which are breaking the country by creating minorities (conversion) and oppressing Hindus. He is supporting the oppressors who are assaulting and murdering Hindus. It is not only Ramanath Rai, even Siddaramaiah is supporting this.
There is a lot of speculation that RSS is not happy with the way BS Yeddyurappa has been campaigning.
Who said that the Sangh does not like the way he is campaigning? We are supporting the BJP and the BJP national leadership has said that Yeddyurappa will lead the election campaign. That’s why we are on Yeddyurappa’s side. The rumours of dissatisfaction are being spread by the Congress.
Is BS Yeddyurappa the man to lead the BJP govt in Karnataka?
That is up to the BJP to decide. Amit Shah and Modi have said that Yeddyurappa will be the next CM. Hence, he will become the CM and there are no second thoughts on this.
How important will the Sangh's contribution be to the BJP in this election?
We are all working hard to help the BJP. This is the question of saving the state. We are going door-to-door and telling people about the injustice doled out by the Congress.
Many say that the RSS has been responsible for communal flare-ups in the region. Do you think violence in the name of protecting cows is justified?
We are protecting our religion and culture, that is our life goal. We care about those who help us. This can be one’s mother, who has borne children. When we say mathru devo bhava, it can also mean the cow. We worship the cow, that is like our mother. We are against love jihad and cow jihad. Siddaramaiah says that he eats beef and that it is food. Our problem is with those who are killing cows. Why is the Congress interfering in this? The police is there to investigate and do its job. They know whom to arrest and the courts exist for giving justice. So why is the Congress instigating cow slaughter and inciting people into killing cows? It is not about Hindu and Muslim. They (cow slaughterers) are thieves and are trying to cheat people. Instead of letting them live, they are killing the cows. This is wrong.
In Dakshina Kannada district, they call you the Bal Thackery of Mangaluru. Many say that your speeches have driven a communal rift in the region. What is your response?
Why is it communal if I call myself a Hindu and not if Rahul Gandhi calls himself one? Winning minority votes, cash for votes and other kind of strategies are being used. Hindus don't want to come out and vote but that’s not the case with Muslims and Christians. The more incentives they get, the more fanatical they become and come to vote in large numbers. The opposition does not want us to speak the truth. They don’t want us to call them out on cow slaughter or on the fact that our girls are being taken away. They are creating more Muslims (by conversion) and creating differences between the two communities. No matter who makes a mistake, we call them out, be it Hindus or Muslims. We praise Abdul Kalam and George Fernandes.
By campaigning for this election, do you hope to make a personal foray into the political scene in coastal Karnataka?
I have been in this line of work for the last 55 years. I am not interested in electoral politics. I am interested in the ideology with which the country is run. I have never been in politics, I am not in politics now and I will never be.