Bengaluru: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) invited Kerala’s just retired police chief T.P. Senkumar to join politics, following his remarks which some construed as anti-Muslim.

On Saturday, almost a week after his retirement, Senkumar in an interview to a regional magazine warned against the rise in the Muslim birthrate in the state.

He added that “love jihad", the alleged practice of Muslim men luring Hindu girls to convert to Islam, is a reality in Kerala and that the activities of terror outfit Islamic State cannot be compared with that of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the BJP’s ideological parent.

“The Muslim community accounts for 42% of the childbirths in Kerala these days... Remember, the Muslim population is just 27%, in the state. This will change Kerala’s demography," he said to Samakalika Malayalam Varika on Saturday.

The remarks were condemned by leaders from the two major fronts, the ruling Left Democratic Front and opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front, but has been welcomed with loud cheers by right-wing politicians.

Senkumar’s observations of Muslims in Kerala stand in close proximity to that of some BJP leaders.

Senkumar’s statement vindicates the position of BJP and he is welcome to join BJP, Kummanam Rajashekaran, the state president of the BJP, said on Monday.

“If he is willing to join BJP, he is welcome. If he makes his political standpoint clear, the party will discuss it. People like him joining us would strengthen the party. What he said about religious terrorism is factual," Rajashekaran said, reported the website of regional newspaper Kaumudi.

BJP leader M.T. Ramesh also met Senkumar at the latter’s house on Monday, but said it is only a friendly visit. Earlier, party national executive panel member advocate P.S. Sreedharan Pillai, and state general secretary K. Surendran, had also invited Senkumar to join BJP.

However, the former top cop has so far been rejecting news reports on his political ambitions. While participating in a pro-BJP event on Sunday, he told reporters that his comments need to be seen only as a matter of fact and not necessarily as anti-Muslim. He said he has always been going to all sorts of events where he is invited, regardless of the political affiliations of the organizers.

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