In an exclusive interview with India News, BJP National President J.P. Nadda lambasted Congress Party over its leader Satish Jarkiholi’s controversial ‘Hindu is a dirty word’ comment. Responding to a question on Mr Jarkiholi’s ‘Hindu is a foreign word’ statement, Nadda trained guns at Rahul Gandhi and said he stood shoulder to shoulder with ‘Tukde Gang’ in JNU, gave divisive speeches in Parliament and ‘encourages leaders like Satish Jarkiholi’. JP Nadda also added that Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo’ Yatra in reality believes in ‘Bharat Todo’. Excerpts:
TDG Network: Himachal has a tendency to change the government every five years? Do you think this is going to happen this year too?
J.P.Nadda: This time it is going to happen differently. You have seen…the enthusiasm, the support and the blessings people are showering on us this time, is unprecedented. It looks that people of Himachal Pradesh have already decided that they will vote for BJP.
TDG Network: There are many rebels in BJP too…..
J.P.Nadda: Yes it happens. Everybody has aspirations. Some goes against the party, some against the winds….it does happen. But that is not going to affect us severely as we think people are not going to vote rebels. I am pretty confident that people will vote for BJP as they have full confidence in our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the work done by CM Jairam Thakur.
TDG Network: Rahul Gandhi is yet to campaign for BJP. Do you think it is a Congress strategy or they simply don’t want to float Rahul fearing some electoral backlash?
J.P.Nadda: It’s their strategy. What we can say? However, we have an observation to make. Congress is like that. Tell me, who is campaigning for the party? All are fragmented and campaigning on individual basis. They are localised in campaigning.
TDG Network. So, you think BJP is going to win comfortably?
J.P.Nadda: Yes, I am confident. We will win comfortably with majority.
TDG Network: Are you confident that you will cross the figures of last elections?
J.P. Nadda: Yes, I am confident. And we are going towards right direction.
TDG Network: Rahul’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ and then ugly words about ‘Hinduism’…..how do you view this kind of politics?
J.P.Nadda: What is ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’? It’s actually ‘Bharat Todo Yatra’. It’s Congress and such elements are dividing the society. They are not ashamed of supporting people who utter slogans like ‘Afzal hum sharminda hoon, tera kaatil jinda hain’ or ‘Bharat tera tukde tukde’. They support such disruptive elements. Congress leaders shed crocodile’s tears for Batla House encounter. Sonia Gandhi could not even sleep thinking of the terrorists. Digvijaya Singh even reached there to support the terrorists. This is their politics. Congress does not have any nationalistic view.
The Congress leader’s comment ‘Hindu is a dirty word’ is a manifestation of a mindset that the party has been nurturing for many years.
TDG Network: However, Congress has a different take. They blame you for divisive politics.
J.P.Nadda: Oh yes, abrogation of 370 looks like a divisive politics for Congress, but support to disruptive elements is not. Modi ji’s several steps which actually united India, look like divisive. What Congress has been doing for so many years are actually divisive. Congress is not serious about it.
TDG Network: Don’t you think Congress’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ is a threat to the BJP?
J.P. Nadda: No way it is a threat. We do not have any problem if somebody goes for such a yatra and gets publicity. As far as countering such activity, that’s a part of our strategy which I do not want to reveal here.
TDG Network: Nowadays you are taking AAP head on while this was not the scenario earlier. Why it is so?
J.P.Nadda: No it is not like that. We take all parties seriously…at the same time we know other’s weaknesses too. We never ignored AAP. But what is the track records of AAP. He (Kejriwal) first fought in Varanasi….he lost. Uttar Pradesh, Goa or any other places….situation was not the different. In many cases AAP candidates lost their deposits.
AAP is a propaganda machine. This is a banner-based party, they are not cadre-based. The way they spend money for advertisement instead of good administration is unbelievable. We all know that. And that propaganda machine spread misinformation. So we have to counter that to put the record straight. We do not take them seriously nor ignore them.
TDG Network: AAP says that as per the IB reports it is getting 90% seats in Gujarat.
J.P.Nadda: Oh, is it so? IB will inform them about this…and believe so. All tall talks and simply rubbish. AAP’s credibility level is zero. What the ‘leader’ (Kejriwal) said….he will not give ticket to corrupt, and see…three from his party are in prison. He said he will finish tanker mafia. He said he will weed out corrupt discoms. He said that he will bring Lokpal bill. What is happening in reality is all in front of you. It’s all show off. In democracy, that also matters because that creates perception. We have no other option but to straight the record.
TDG Network: Who is your main contender in Gujarat elections-is it Congress or AAP?
J.P.Nadda: Of course, Congress. It is because that Congress is a cadre-based party. There may not be leaders on the ground, but people still vote for Congress. That’s a reality.
TDG Network: Rahul Gandhi has not started campaign in Gujarat…..
J.P Nadda: Well, that’s their strategy. We have nothing to say. Let him move around. Good that he has ultimately come out of Twitter.
TDG Network: It seems you love to attack Rahul Gandhi….
J.P. Nadda: No, it’s not like that. Our strategy is based on political content. We counter people with facts. We wish to ask Kejriwal what is his relationship with terrorists in Punjab?
TDG Network: In just-concluded bypolls, BJP has a good result. But the Opposition parties say that AIMIM and BSP are actually helping you to sail through?
J.P.Nadda: We do not do such politics. Our party and politics is based on service to people. What is the need of even taking support of AIMIM or BSP. The Opposition fought together in many places. The good example was Uttar Pradesh. But what happened? Yogiji won in UP. We do not do negative politics.
TDG Network: There has been an effort of Opposition unity. If that happens, do you think it would upset BJP’s poll prospects in 2024?
J.P.Nadda: We do not think about that at all. Simply because we have our own ways to carve. We do not think about that at all. But will that happen really, is a big question. We say let them fight unitedly. We will face it.
TDG Network: Many say, the BJP is nearing it peak….does that bother you?
J.P.Nadda: I don’t think we have reached the peak. We want to be everywhere in the country. The BJP must be all through India. That’s our aim.
TDG Network: What is your assessment number-wise in HP, Gujarat, Delhi MCD?
J.P.Nadda: In both the places, we are sure to get more seats than last elections.