ABP Live Exclusive: Cow issue must not be commercialised, says Allahabad BJP MP Shyama Charan Gupta

New Delhi: As the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections 2017 are drawing near, political activities of political parties have increased with all trying to mold the outcome in their favour. To know more about the strategy of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the India's most populous state, ABP Live's Anurag Kumar has taken an in-depth, exclusive interview of sitting BJP MP (Lok Sabha) from Allahabad Shyama Charan Gupta who is a businessman and runs tobacco business. He established Shyama Group of companies in 1973, which involved in bidi manufacturing and has stakes in hospitality and real estate sectors. Q1) What are the chances of BJP in upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections? Mr Gupta: Till now, there are countless hopes that the BJP will form the government but policial environment and political charisma changes every day. So under such circumstances in the coming six months, many things can unfold. Q2) In UP elections what will be or to what extent, there will be the role of RSS in deciding CM candidate? Mr Gupta: In UP elections, there will be the role of everyone in deciding the Chief Ministerial candidate. Q3) In the case of Hung Assembly, will you shake hands with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)? Mr Gupta: I'm not the authority to give an answer to this question. All we want is everyone's support and everyone's development. Whosoever wants to shake hand is welcomed and with whom we have to shake hand, we will. Q4) You have tobacco business, but it's injurious to health, so are you ready to compromise with your business for the health of the people of India? Mr Gupta: See, its survey and research must be done properly. Bedi is a different manufacturing system and the cigarette is different manufacturing system and chewing tobacco is another different system. Things which are eaten have a different impact than those which we smoke. So if there is any harm from bidi, it's different from that of cigarette. Eating, chewing and smoking all have a different impact so there must be a research of all three. In smoking too, bidi is made of a wild plant's leaf. Therefore it is a kind of herb. So what I believe is that because bidi is made of wild plant's leaf and has very less tobacco content in it, therefore, I don't understand that much harm from it. I have seen various people consuming bidi but they are healthy and at the same time, I have also witnessed many patients that don't smoke but they are ill. So as I said, it is a big subject for research and in my opinion, it (harmful effect of Beedi) is wrongly interpreted by some foreign NGOs. Bedi is an Indian product and its research must be conducted in India. I don't believe in the research of USA or England. Q5) Do you regret that you are not given place in Central cabinet? Do you think Allahabad is neglected? Mr Gupta: No Allahabad is not neglected. Recently we had such a huge event in the city. Allahabad is not neglected but selected. Taking me in the cabinet or not, it was PM's decision, I have no objection. Q6) Since the BJP government has come to power, many so-called Hindu organisations have become active, cow sevakas have become active, is this a right thing, if yes to what extent? Mr Gupta: In our Hindu religion cow has been worshiped. Because our country's population has increased many folds and people of many religion settled here. Things have gone to a different track and cow slaughter and beef eating started. Cow slaughtering and eating must be protested but making this protest a business is wrong. Since BJP have come to power, some highfalutin "gau sevakas" has defamed gau sewa service. It is a subject of investigation. Doing gau sewa from the religious point of view is a good thing. Cow issue must not be commercialised. Q7) What will be your role in upcoming state elections? Mr Gupta: Whatever responsibility will be given, I will fulfill that. Q8) How satisfied you are with Narendra Modi's performance till now? How many numbers will you give him out of 10? Mr Gupta: I'm totally satisfied. I will give him 11 out of 10.