Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate in Malappuram M. Abdul Salam was denied permission to accompany Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his roadshow here on Tuesday. The BJP had announced that the candidates in the Palakkad, Ponnani and Malappuram Lok Sabha constituencies would join Mr. Modi in the roadshow.
Dr. Salam, the only Muslims candidate on the BJP’s first list, reached here well in time to join the roadshow, but he was not allowed to enter the vehicle as his name was not there on the SPG list. A disheartened Dr. Salam left Palakkad saying that “his name was not there on the list.”
BJP sources said that Dr. Salam could not be accommodated as there was no space in the vehicle. C. Krishnakumar and Nivedita Subramanian, BJP’s candidates in Palakkad and Ponnani respectively, and party State president K. Surendran accompanied Mr. Modi in the vehicle.
Balan’s allegation
Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader A.K. Balan accused the BJP of insulting not only Dr. Salam, but the Muslim minority as well. “The BJP had announced earlier that the candidates of Ponnani, Malappuram and Palakkad would accompany the Prime Minister. But by denying Dr. Salam, the BJP has sent a wrong message. It can be interpreted that Dr. Salam was denied entry because he is a Muslim,” said Mr. Balan.
He said that religious minorities would have to suffer more such insults from the BJP. “The person who should understand this is Governor Arif Mohammed Khan,” he said.
Mr. Balan added that the Prime Minister’s arrival would not help the BJP at all. The visit had caused a lot of inconvenience to the people, he said. “Students taking examinations at 10 a.m. had to reach their schools well before 7 a.m. in view of the Prime Minister’s visit,” he said.
Salam denies charge
However, Dr. Salam denied Mr. Balan’s allegation, saying that it was a fabricated story. “His job is to fabricate such stories,” Dr. Salam said in Malappuram.
Dr. Salam told a channel that he went to Palakkad to meet the Prime Minister, to take a photo with him, and to invite him to Malappuram. “It will make a big difference if the Prime Minister comes to Malappuram,” he said.
Nonetheless, Dr. Salam said that he was disappointed at being denied the opportunity to board the Prime Minister’s vehicle. “Who will not like to accompany the Prime Minister? I have no complaint. I knew I was not eligible. But my opportunities are coming,” he said.
Dr. Salam said that Mr. Modi shook hands with him and offered him good luck.
