Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Feb 19: Bhavya Narasimhamurthy recently joined the Congress party. She rose to fame after voicing out against CAA by violating section 144.

The young activist shares her insights on why she left her thriving career in the USA and moved to India, in an exclusive interview with Daijiworld editor-in-chief Walter Nandalike in Public Challenge on Daijiworld TV 24X7.

Q: You are very young, you had a very good career in the USA. You are well-qualified. Then why you chose to return to Bengaluru? Why have you decided to fight?

A: When I came from the USA, many asked me this question. I can build my career wherever I want to. This is the confidence education gives you. Coping up depends on the field and career one chooses. I am interested in establishing a public career. Hence, I want to connect more with Indians. I worked in USA, Egypt and Nepal. I thought I will return and work in India and hence contribute to my country with whatever I have learnt.

Q: How were your childhood days?

A: I was born and brought up in Bengaluru. I studied engineering at MS Ramaiah College and later started preparing for UPSC. I was interested in a public career and I applied for public policy course and got into Colombia University. Here, I did masters in Public Administration and concentrated more on economy and political development. I had taken up gender and public policy as my specialization. During 2018, Congress approached me for state manifesto, where I worked with senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily. Then, I worked for parliamentary manifesto and worked with Sushmitha Dev and Prof Rajeev Gowda. In 2018, I was given an opportunity to head women wing of Priyadarshini, a safe political platform that aims to develop leadership among young women and make their voices heard.

Q: Why Congress?

A: When I came back from the USA, I had a neutral outlook. I had met MPs of both national parties. But I felt more respected for my education when I met Congress MPs. I met a few other people too who wanted me to work for their research wing. I came to know about their ideology. Especially, where they said women and men are not equal, but they are different and they should be educated differently. That is why I had to say no to them.

Q: Recently, your video violating section 144 went viral. You were seen protesting against CAA. Was it spontaneous or pre-planned? How did it all happen?

A: I have never attended any protest. I am a policy analyst. I came across an article where it was mentioned about Golwalkar's book, where he appreciates Hitler. It suggests that Indians need to learn from it. Then I downloaded the book and I checked the contents and felt India is in grave danger. I was researching about CAA and about the consequences, in case it is implemented. Widespread protests all over the country have claimed several lives including of those in Mangaluru. I saw a tweet where Ramachandra Guha was arrested. He is a very good historian and I have seen Gandhiji in the books he has written. He was arrested in a disrespectful manner. There were no incidences of violence, still section 144 was imposed. It was very spontaneous and I was very angry and people liked the way I spoke.

Q: Government is repeatedly issuing clarifications on CAA and stating Indian Muslims will not be affected by CAA. It is saying Tukde Tukde gang is misguiding, creating fight between communities and taking political benefit out of it? What is your say on this?

A: There was a time when politics was handled in a dignified manner. Today Prime Minister is calling names that are not suited for his age and position. The whole country is listening to him and the youth too are getting influenced. What is the kind of example he is setting?

The PM should be a trend-setter and be a model of dignified politics. The BJP says CAA will not affect Indian Muslims. CAA along with NRC is a lethal combination. This is not only anti-Muslim but anti-poor. Why did they add religion in CAA? They could have said persecuted minorities. When religion is brought into picture, then it leads to communalism.

The way they are dealing with the protesters is not healthy. Leaders should always try to establish a dialogue with protesters, instead of calling names and instigating violence. Statements by Anurag Thakur, Yogi Adityanath instigates violence. Prime Minister has not spoken about it at all. They have filed sedition case against a school management. Why was sedition case not booked against a school which enacted demolition of Babri Masjid?

Q: Youngsters are not entering into politics. If youngsters have entered then it is either because they hail from affluent political families or have a strong background support. What advice you want to give youngsters to join politics?

A: It depends on an individual’s interest. Those who are interested, I would encourage them to enter politics. If they enter the system, then they can clean the system and bring about a difference. Youth should enter politics if they are interested.

Q: You have studied economics extensively. The present economy condition of our country is not good and government is defending it by saying it is aiming 5 trillion dollar economy? Can you tell exactly what is going on?

A: The five trillion dollar economy, in the next two years will affect the lower and middle class people. Economy is declining since the past six years. Demonetization was a disaster. They are making mockery out of digital India by imposing ban on internet which is against civil liberty. As many as 4.7 crore youth have lost jobs. As much as 56% of Beti Bachao Beti Padao has gone for advertisements and one can see the state of women safety in India. USA, Britian and other countries have issued warnings to tourists who travel to India regarding their safety. This is an embarrassment for the country at a global level.

Q: You believe in ideology of Gandhiji and follow his thinking. Now Gandhiji's freedom movement is termed as drama and his killers are portrayed as hero. Are you not angry?

A: If it would have been a drama, we would not have got freedom, we would have still been slaves of British and none of these who make such claims would have become MPs. I feel BJP is heading towards it end, especially after giving ticket to terrorism accused Pragya Thakur. The qualification for ticket is either praise Modi or delivers provocative speeches. It is end of their rule and people are watching.

Watch full interview: