Never uttered a word against minorities, but won't accept ‘special citizens’: Modi

Seeking to clarify his past remarks which sparked a huge controversy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (May 20) said that he was not against minorities – “not just today but never” – and reiterated that the BJP-led NDA will win more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections.

“I have not spoken a word against minorities. I am only talking against the vote bank politics of the Congress. The Congress is working against the Constitution, that’s what I have been saying," he told PTI Videos in an interview.

Modi gave the clarification when asked to comment on his earlier statements that have created insecurity among minorities, particularly Muslims, and earned widespread condemnation.

“(The) BJP has never been against minorities. Not just today but never,” he said.

‘Can’t accept special citizens’

Lashing out at the Congress, Modi said the party has constantly violated the secular spirit of the Constitution and that his campaign speeches were aimed at exposing the opposition parties’ bid to appease minorities with vote bank politics.

He said the makers of India’s Constitution, including BR Ambedkar and Jawaharlal Nehru, had decided that there will be no reservations on the basis of religion.

"Now you are turning away from that. It is my responsibility to expose them. At that time there were no members of my party in the Constituent Assembly. It was an assembly of eminent people from across the country."

He added that while the Congress follows the path of appeasement, “I follow the path of satisfaction. We believe in ‘sarva dharma sambhav’. We want to take everyone along with us. We are not ready to accept anyone as special citizens but consider everyone equal,” he said.

‘BJP will be single largest party in south’

The prime minister also exuded confidence that his party will finish as the single largest party in southern India and that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will win over 400 Lok Sabha seats on June 4.

“Our strategy for the entire nation is the same. Phir ek baar Modi sarkar. Aur chaar June 400 paar,” Modi said in the interview on Sunday night. He said the BJP will be, like in 2019, the single largest party in the country’s south.

“We have seen a jump in mind-share already. We will see a big jump in seat share and vote share for us across the region,” he said in a written reply.

‘Congress has insulted Constitution’

Modi also rejected the Opposition's claim that he intends to change the Constitution and end reservation if the BJP-led NDA wins over 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls.

He said it was in fact the BJP which appointed the maximum number of ministers from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBC backgrounds.

On the issue of Muslim reservation, he said it is wrong to combine the topic of quota on the basis of religion with the overall issue of reservation.

“The Constitution and its makers never wanted reservations on the basis of religion,” he said.

“It is the Congress that has diluted reservations in many states, given it on the basis of religion, and insulted the Constitution. They also want to do it nationally. I have made it very clear that I will never let it happen,” he added.

Taking further swipes at the Grand Old Party and the Gandhi family, Modi said it is behind the only instance in the history of independent India when a government sidelined the Constitution and suspended democracy "at the whims of a particular dynasty".

"Now, when the latest generation of this dynasty wants to use the legacy of their ancestors, they see that there are many such black marks in history. They think the best way to undo these black marks is to accuse everyone else of being undemocratic," he said.

Praise of Constitution

In the interview, the prime minister also launched into a spirited praise of the Constitution, saying a person of his socio-economic background could have never made it this far without it.

“Modi has been made by Babasaheb's Constitution and derives power from it. So, even if you assume I act out of self-interest, my own welfare lies in the welfare of the Constitution."

Rebutting the Opposition's charge on the issue of reservation for SC, ST and OBC, he said it is the BJP which has the maximum number of MPs from such social backgrounds.

"Which is the party that gave the country a Dalit and a tribal president? It is the BJP. It is laughable and absurd to claim that we would do anything about the SC, ST and OBC reservations," he asserted.

(With inputs from agencies)