Ahmedabad,Accusing
Congress of "trying to hide in the bunker of secularism", Narendra
Modi today said that it was fighting for its survival with even a 100-seat mark
in the new Lok Sabha appearing "an uphill task for it".
Reacting sharply to Congress
President Sonia Gandhi's accusation that his election campaign was a
"dangerous combination of religious fanaticism, power and money", the
BJP Prime Ministerial candidate said, "faced with certain defeat, fighting
for its survival it is once again trying to hide in the bunker of secularism."Its
last hope is to somehow cross the 100-seat mark which now appears an uphill
task for it," Modi told here..Responding
to Sonia's dig that he was promising to make India a paradise, he said, "I
have never claimed that I will make India a paradise and that I have solutions
to all problems. I am sure even people do not expect this from me." People
of India were not looking forward to miracles but "they certainly deserve
a stable, deci
sive and sensitive government," he said.
Asked about recent attacks on him
by Priyanka Gandhi who had accused him of humiliating her family and husband
Robert Vadra, the BJP leader said that as a daughter and sister she has a right
to campaign for her mother and her brother."It is natural that a daughter
would like to defend her mother. A sister would like to defend her brother. I
do not have any problems with that," Modi said.Anwsering a question on how
allegations against Vadra would be dealt with in the event of his coming to
power, the BJP leader said that he did not believe in politics of vendetta and
witch-hunting of which he had been a "victim" for the last ten years.At
the same time, nobody was above law and if somebody had done something wrong,
the law must take its own course.
"But that has to happen in an
institutional manner as per the due process without interference from any
quarter. Such actions should never be guided by political
considerations." Modi was asked if he would reach out to three
powerful regional leaders Mamata Banerjee, Jayalalithaa and Mayawati who had
been critical of him during the campaign but whose support he may need after
the poll results were out.He replied," As of now I firmly believe that the
BJP with its pre-poll NDA partners is going to get the required numbers to form
a government at the Centre. You must keep in mind that we already have a big
and powerful alliance of more than 25 partners."We are sure that we will
get the numbers to run the government. However, we will need everyone's support
and cooperation to run the country."
Modi sharply attacked recent moves
by the Congress for an OBC quota for backward Muslims and said that this was nothing
but a "last ditch effort" to indulge in "vote bank politics and
politics of appeasement on the eve of elections".
The Congress was making such a promise knowing fully well that they cannot
implement it, he said, adding, "I must also say that it exposes the true
'secular' character of the party which aims to garner votes on the basis of
religion." Asked if he subscribed to the view that the current election
campaign was the most polarised one in India's democratic history, Modi said
that he agreed "in a way" that it is a polarised election but
"the polarisation is of a different kind this time".He said,
"polarisation is inherent in a democracy. It is natural for people holding
different viewpoints to think and vote differently. Per se it is not an undesirable
thing.It is the kind of polarisation happening that matters".The Gujarat
Chief Minister was of the view that the polarisation in this election was
between those who believed in the inclusive politics of development and good
governance and against who believe in divisive politics of vote banks, caste
and religion.
Asked if there was a Modi wave or
an anti-Congress wave, or both, Modi replied, "I think it is both. There
is a very strong anti-Congress wave together with an equally strong wave for the
BJP and its NDA partners".
Describing the elections as "extraordinary and unprecedented", he
elaborated that probably it was a first time that a strong anti-incumbency
feeling was accompanied by an equally strong desire for change.Modi declined to
anwser a question on the post-Godhra Gujarat riots of 2002 but said in an
anwser to another question that his opponents had not been able to find any
serious allegations of corruption, nepotism or incompetence against him.
Asked if he would like to assure
Muslims that they should feel safe and secure and that they will not be
discriminated against by a government led by him, the BJP leader said that
there was no reason for anybody to feel unsafe and insecure, be it Hindus or
Muslims."If anybody should feel insecure, it is the parties who treat
Muslims as vote banks and do nothing for their development. Their politics has
reached its expiry date. Such parties better improve or they face
extinction." he said.Modi emphasised that there was no reason for anyone
to feel unsafe and insecure under a BJP government.
"We are committed to the
safety, security and development of 125 crore Indians which includes all
Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians etc. Our motto is 'sabka saath sabka vikas'(
everybody's support, everybody's development)," he added.Asked about his
recent reference to 'Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb'(composite culture) at the time of
filing his nominations from Varanasi, Modi said that this was his message of
India First--Let us unite together rising above caste and religion and let us
all work together for development and prosperity. Modi made the following
other points: Corruption: I have a clear time-bound action plan in mind and we
will ensure that when the country goes to polls for the 17th Lok Sabha(
scheduled for 2019), there will be no place for corrupt and criminal elements.The
action plan would first target sitting MPs who have cases agaisnt them
regardless of party and politial affiliations. Supreme Court would be requested
to establish fast track courts across the country to expeditiously try offences
against them so that all cases are decided within one year.
This would ensure that who are
found not guilty were absolved of all allegations and malicious propaganda.
Those who are found guilty would be punished and vacancies arising out of their
disqualification will be filled by honest and clean people.In the next stage,
all those who had contested elections and members of Panchayati Raj
institutions as well as urban local bodies would be targeted. The message that
we want to send is that if you become a MP or MLA, the cases against you will
be fast tracked.The leader he admires the most in post-Independence India:
Sardar Patel was certainly a stalwart who did a great job as the country's
first Home Minister in uniting the entire country and merging the 500-odd
Princely states in India. He is one leader whom I admire for his ability to
place national interests above all.
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