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CM all set to play Hindutva card

With the elections approaching, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is ready to play up his concept of Hindutva by saying that only "Hindus can be secular."

Updated on: Sep 5, 2007, 02:31:44 IST
Hindustan Times | By , New Delhi
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With the elections approaching, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is ready to play up his concept of Hindutva by saying that only "Hindus can be secular." Besides, he has rejected the charge of the BJP dissidents that he is arrogant.

HT Image
HT Image

"I am a pure Hindu, a, committed Hindu. I am secular because I am Hindu. If I was not a Hindu then I might have had some bad qualities. Only a true Hindu can be a true secularist," Modi said in an interview to newsmagazine The Sunday Indian.

Asked what he has done for the Muslims in his state, he replied, " The Minority Commission had asked me the same question once. I made it categorically clear to them that in my Gujarat I have done nothing for the Muslims nor will I do anything for them. I also told them that I have not done anything for the Hindus nor shall I do anything for them. My government works for 5.5 crore Gujaratis and will always work for them."

Denying the charge that he was arrogant, Modi said, "I do not think that in a country like India an arrogant person can survive and work successfully for six years." He also refuted the allegation that he had bulldozed the bureaucracy into doing things for him. "You cannot get things in your own family by dadagiri. You can only succeed if your intentions and your policies are correct."

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