An unrepentant Narendra Modi said that he was compelled to play the Hindutva card because Congress chief Sonia Gandhi provoked him by calling him the ?Merchant of Death?.
Modi told Times Now that his remarks must be interpreted in the context of the insult heaped upon him by Sonia Gandhi and his right to defend his name. Here are the excerpts of the interview.
How do you assess your campaigning as of now. Are you getting the kind of favour you got in 2002?
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won in all elections held in Gujarat since 2002 and this time too the BJP will win by a big margin.
The Congress has begun saying that you started with a promise of talking about development but you have gone back to your own agenda ? the Hindutva agenda. How do you respond to them?
I have been talking of development from the beginning. I have talked about rural electrification, Narmada Yojana, growth of agriculture in Gujarat, improvement in primary education. I only talk about development. But Sonia Gandhi called me the ?Merchant of Death? in her first campaign speech in Gujarat. It is my democratic right and duty to tell the truth to the people. I reiterate that I will retort to whatever issues the Congress rakes up.
You have to raise the issue of Sohrabuddin but you also talk about Gujarati pride. How can you justify an encounter of Sohrabuddin in the land of Gujarat?
I have faced a lot of allegations on the Sohrabuddin issue in the past six months. So far, I was quiet. But I have to give an explanation if Soniabhen calls me the ?Merchant of Death?. There is no controversy over police encounters. The controversy is over fake encounters. I have always opposed and will continue to oppose fake encounters.
But don'tyou feel you have somewhere confused the line between minority and majority sentiment at this point in time?
I am surprised that whenever issues of terrorism or anti-social activity are raised, they are being viewed in the context of minority versus majority. Isn'tthis pseudo-secularism. There is need for an objective view on terrorism. Why should anybody talk about names and backgrounds of the terrorists?
Mr Modi, you are also a chief minister, whose case is being looked at very closely by the Supreme Court. Do you think it was a mistake to raise the issue of Sohrabuddin and justify that encounter?
I request the Supreme Court and all constitutional authorities not to go by perceptions but to go by facts. I am a law-abiding citizen and I will ensure that India'sConstitution remains the supreme authority.
Sonia Gandhi'sstatement, even the one on the ?Merchants of Death? was a general statement. But you have been targeting the Gandhi family directly. What'syour reason?
I have not said a word against Soniaji or against the Gandhi family. She spoke about me in her speech. So what'swrong, if I refer to her by her name. Isn'tthat my democratic right? Is that a crime? I will stop if you say.
In this particular election you wanted to go away from the 2002 fever that was there at that time. Do you think you have been able to attain that or do you think you have had to go back to replying to these questions on Hindutva or on Sohrabuddin and that is what is creating the crowds to come? That'swhat most people think.
I talked about development in 2002 and now I also talk about development. I ask the voters whether they want development and education for their children. But do you think, I should keep quiet in the middle of an election campaign if allegations are made against me?
Two days after you made that statement about Sohrabuddin and justified his killing, do you think it was a mistake or would you say it again?
I have said clearly that fake encounters are not acceptable. I have never justified fake encounters. My government took a stand against fake encounters in the Supreme Court. I have taken a clear stand on encounter killings.
What about the Sohrabuddin case?
The Supreme Court will give its judgement. There is no dispute on encounters. But fake encounters are not acceptable. I have never justified fake encounters.
(Courtesy: Times Now)
