Read selective excerpts from Narendra Modi’s interview to Rajat Sharma in ‘Aap Ki Adalat’ on India TV
India TV Politics Desk [ Updated 12 Apr 2014, 15:54:27 ]
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New Delhi: In his first exclusive marathon interview to India TV editor-in-chief Rajat Sharma on his popular Aap Ki Adalat show, BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi opened up on a range of issues - his personal life, Gujarat riots, his relations with senior party leader L K Advani and replied to charges of giving land at throwaway prices to industrialists in Gujarat.
Here we selective excerpts of the interview:
Rajat Sharma: Important leaders of our country - Sonia, Chidambaram, Sharad -they are all worried that wherever they go, they get to hear “Abki baar, Modi Sarkar”.
Modi: I didn’t know that high profile people could be worried about such issues. If they are worried they it’s a sign of being small minded not big.
RS: Rahul Gandhi says that our nation doesn’t need a single chowkidaar. Modi wants to change the entire nation. I say that the nation needs crores of chowkidaars. What can a single chowkidaar do?
Modi: It a good thing that he listens to my speeches carefully and he knows that crores of chowkidar will serve him good. One could pose a problem. I am worried that if there are 150 crore chowkidaars then will they include Adarsh Scam culprits and those who have snatched lands of widows of Kargil martyrs? Their LS candidates who have been accused of land acquisition of the farmer of Rajasthan - will they also be chowkidaars? If this is the case then it seems that cat will be made in-charge of milk.
RS: Their slogan goes- Har haath shakti har haath tarakki.
Modi: They need to come up with ideas to put a lid on their work. Their hand that commits sin has to be portrayed in some other way. That is why, for them, it’s- har haath loot, har honth jhooth (Every hand loots, every lip speaks a lie).
Modi: I didn’t know that high profile people could be worried about such issues. If they are worried they it’s a sign of being small minded not big.
RS: Rahul Gandhi says that our nation doesn’t need a single chowkidaar. Modi wants to change the entire nation. I say that the nation needs crores of chowkidaars. What can a single chowkidaar do?
Modi: It a good thing that he listens to my speeches carefully and he knows that crores of chowkidar will serve him good. One could pose a problem. I am worried that if there are 150 crore chowkidaars then will they include Adarsh Scam culprits and those who have snatched lands of widows of Kargil martyrs? Their LS candidates who have been accused of land acquisition of the farmer of Rajasthan - will they also be chowkidaars? If this is the case then it seems that cat will be made in-charge of milk.
RS: Their slogan goes- Har haath shakti har haath tarakki.
Modi: They need to come up with ideas to put a lid on their work. Their hand that commits sin has to be portrayed in some other way. That is why, for them, it’s- har haath loot, har honth jhooth (Every hand loots, every lip speaks a lie).
RS: Anand Sharma, Congress Union Minister said in a press conference that BJP has spent Rs 10000 crore on publicity.
Modi: The first thing that Anand Sharma needs to do is to write to the EC. Then there is a govt agency named Enforcement Directorate. Since they don’t do anything, I’m giving them an idea of doing some work. Let them fully investigate it. Let Anand Sharma do it as fast as possible. If there is any objection from EC, I’m willing to writing to EC to let them do it.
RS: But Rahul Gandhi says that you are a person who can sell combs to even balds.
Modi: I used to sell tea. I never sold combs but the information that I can do it has reached them, is sort of achievement for me.
RS: Omar Abdullah says that you went to Punjab and accepted their attire, you went to Arunachal and wore their cap, you went to Assam and wore their dress but you refused to wear skull cap offered by Imam.
Modi: I have never seen Gandhi, Patel or Nehru wearing such skull cap. Indian politics has deteriorated. They can do anything for appeasement. I believe in respecting traditions of all religions. But at the same time, I have to respect my own tradition as well although I respect all traditions. I can’t hoodwink people by wearing such skull caps. But I believe in taking action against those who show disrespect to other’s caps.
Modi: The first thing that Anand Sharma needs to do is to write to the EC. Then there is a govt agency named Enforcement Directorate. Since they don’t do anything, I’m giving them an idea of doing some work. Let them fully investigate it. Let Anand Sharma do it as fast as possible. If there is any objection from EC, I’m willing to writing to EC to let them do it.
RS: But Rahul Gandhi says that you are a person who can sell combs to even balds.
Modi: I used to sell tea. I never sold combs but the information that I can do it has reached them, is sort of achievement for me.
RS: Omar Abdullah says that you went to Punjab and accepted their attire, you went to Arunachal and wore their cap, you went to Assam and wore their dress but you refused to wear skull cap offered by Imam.
Modi: I have never seen Gandhi, Patel or Nehru wearing such skull cap. Indian politics has deteriorated. They can do anything for appeasement. I believe in respecting traditions of all religions. But at the same time, I have to respect my own tradition as well although I respect all traditions. I can’t hoodwink people by wearing such skull caps. But I believe in taking action against those who show disrespect to other’s caps.
RS: Nitish Kumar said that in public life, you have to wear both tilak and skull caps. You have to take care of sentiments of others.
Modi: If he thinks that it helps in taking care of sentiments then it’s his thought. I believe that their children should get better education. They should have Quran in one hand and computer in the other hand.
RS: You had said, “We are human beings. It pains even when a puppy comes under my car.”
Modi: In our country we say it pains even if an ant dies. These are proverbs. This should not be interpreted otherwise. And you should know that the person who had taken myinterview, despite being a foreigner, had tweeted that I did not mean anything like that. But the news traders, and am not talking about media, used this to sell their stuff.
RS: Azam Khan while referring to you has said today that we don’t need the sympathy of Modi, the elder brother of puppies.
Modi: I should say- thank you very much- to him because the loyalty of dogs is unparalleled. I’m proud that somebody saw this quality in me that will benefit the country.
Modi: If he thinks that it helps in taking care of sentiments then it’s his thought. I believe that their children should get better education. They should have Quran in one hand and computer in the other hand.
RS: You had said, “We are human beings. It pains even when a puppy comes under my car.”
Modi: In our country we say it pains even if an ant dies. These are proverbs. This should not be interpreted otherwise. And you should know that the person who had taken myinterview, despite being a foreigner, had tweeted that I did not mean anything like that. But the news traders, and am not talking about media, used this to sell their stuff.
RS: Azam Khan while referring to you has said today that we don’t need the sympathy of Modi, the elder brother of puppies.
Modi: I should say- thank you very much- to him because the loyalty of dogs is unparalleled. I’m proud that somebody saw this quality in me that will benefit the country.
RS: But it is also true that you got Amitabh Bachchan for promotion and marketing.
Modi: This is true...
RS: It’s the same Amitabh who was once a part of Congress and then SP...?
Modi: There is difference between Modi and others. He is indeed close to Mulayam Singh Yadav. He is from UP and thus he has his attachments. But Mulayam Singh used him. He used him in his election campaigns with the slogan - “UP mein hai dum, zulm hai kam”. But that didn’t work.
Amitabh’s role needs to be reflected with intellect. I used him to talk about Gujarat and not of Gujarat government. He advertises Kutch, its handicraft and lifestyle. So if I have that thought, that is my work. I use Amitabh Bachan as a productive resource for the welfare of Gujarat. It’s been around 5 years that he’s been working with me. Neither he has ever spoken about politics and nor have I. And today let me clarify, when I had given him the proposal that I wanted to promote tourism in Gujarat, he said, “I give you my voice and my face, you may use it”. He refused to take money from me. He does not take a single rupee for promoting tourism in Gujarat and for this I am extremely grateful to him.
RS: We thought he must be earning a lot from your Government.
Modi: I’m a “pakka Ahmedabadi” (pure Ahmedabadi). Our specialty is to find someone on whom we have least expenditure. We believe in single fare, double journey. We don’t give money to people easily.
Modi: This is true...
RS: It’s the same Amitabh who was once a part of Congress and then SP...?
Modi: There is difference between Modi and others. He is indeed close to Mulayam Singh Yadav. He is from UP and thus he has his attachments. But Mulayam Singh used him. He used him in his election campaigns with the slogan - “UP mein hai dum, zulm hai kam”. But that didn’t work.
Amitabh’s role needs to be reflected with intellect. I used him to talk about Gujarat and not of Gujarat government. He advertises Kutch, its handicraft and lifestyle. So if I have that thought, that is my work. I use Amitabh Bachan as a productive resource for the welfare of Gujarat. It’s been around 5 years that he’s been working with me. Neither he has ever spoken about politics and nor have I. And today let me clarify, when I had given him the proposal that I wanted to promote tourism in Gujarat, he said, “I give you my voice and my face, you may use it”. He refused to take money from me. He does not take a single rupee for promoting tourism in Gujarat and for this I am extremely grateful to him.
RS: We thought he must be earning a lot from your Government.
Modi: I’m a “pakka Ahmedabadi” (pure Ahmedabadi). Our specialty is to find someone on whom we have least expenditure. We believe in single fare, double journey. We don’t give money to people easily.
RS: There’s one man’s rule in BJP. Modi’s name is chanted everywhere. Even on all theposters. It appears that there is no other leader left in BJP.
Modi: This is not true. BJP is a huge organization. It works in that structure. There is a galaxy of leaders who are equally competent. During elections we have to set a goal and prioritize issues. Even for this there is a committee of which Modi is not a part. Previously we worked under Atal ji’s guidance. Then we worked under Advani ji, Harshvardhan in Delhi, Shivraj Singh in MP and in Rajasthan we worked under Vasundhara Raje. So responsibilities are distributed according to the party’s goal. Right now I have been given this role and I have to do what the party has asked me to do. I am a worker of the party. We are a team.
Don't miss Narendra Modi's full interview to Rajat Sharma in "Aap Ki Adalat" onIndia TV on Saturday,April 12 (10pm) and Sunday, April 13 (10am)
Modi: This is not true. BJP is a huge organization. It works in that structure. There is a galaxy of leaders who are equally competent. During elections we have to set a goal and prioritize issues. Even for this there is a committee of which Modi is not a part. Previously we worked under Atal ji’s guidance. Then we worked under Advani ji, Harshvardhan in Delhi, Shivraj Singh in MP and in Rajasthan we worked under Vasundhara Raje. So responsibilities are distributed according to the party’s goal. Right now I have been given this role and I have to do what the party has asked me to do. I am a worker of the party. We are a team.
Don't miss Narendra Modi's full interview to Rajat Sharma in "Aap Ki Adalat" onIndia TV on Saturday,April 12 (10pm) and Sunday, April 13 (10am)