In this Idea Exchange, BJP president Nitin Gadkari speaks about the party?s stand on economic reforms, the media focus on Kejriwal and the BJP?s strategy for the 2014 elections. This session was moderated by Assistant Editor Ravish Tiwari

Ravish Tiwari: Lately, the BJP seems to have lost its reformist zeal. Are reforms not good politics?

Nitin Gadkari: In this country, it is thought that if we oppose one set of reforms, we are against reforms totally. When we opposed FDI in retail, it was said that the BJP is anti economic reform. We want FDI in infrastructure, power. The rupee is going up against the dollar. We have to lower it. For that, there are some indigenous solutions. We import gold to the tune of Rs 2.40 lakh crore. I am told we have 23 goldmines with deposits. If we use Australian and Canadian technology to mine them, we won?t have to import gold. We should auction them and bring foreign technology for all the mines, extract as much gold as possible, and save imports worth 2,40,000 crore. This will help prune the account deficit, and strengthen the rupee against the dollar. So we want development, we want FDI, we want administrative reforms. Compare UPA-ruled states and NDA-ruled states on economic parameters. The major contribution to the GDP is from our states. We have encouraged FDI everywhere. Gujarat has invited industry from all over and brought in investment. So we are not against economic reforms. But bringing in FDI in retail now is a political conspiracy of the Congress to divert attention from the taint of corruption against them. When Pranab Mukherjee was finance minister, they said that without dialogue with all the stakeholders?state governments and Opposition parties?we will not implement FDI in retail. Anand Sharma said this in the Rajya Sabha and Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha. The UPA betrayed us and committed a breach of trust. Now they have started to talk about the pension and insurance bills. After saying this in the House, Pranabji became the President of India. As a former UPA finance minister, he had given a commitment on behalf of the UPA. He should tell them that their behaviour is incorrect. This is the government?s diversionary tactics. Also, they don?t have a majority any longer. So they don?t have the moral authority to introduce major economic decisions. Even their alliance partners disagree with them. This is the ?Singham? mode adopted by the PM. We will not be party to this political conspiracy and game plan. First, they must deliver what they promised us in the House. But we are not against reforms.

Maneesh Chhibber: Will you move a no-confidence motion on FDI or support it if it is introduced by others?

Nitin Gadkari: The decision on whether to bring a no-confidence motion or not will be decided by the NDA. If a no-confidence motion is brought, I think we will support it.

Maneesh Chhibber: Why wait for someone else to bring in the motion?

Nitin Gadkari: This is political strategy. If our goal is met while we are in the backseat, why should we take the steering wheel?

Maneesh Chhibber: Don?t you think it?s this attitude of the BJP that has encouraged the public to gravitate towards people like Arvind Kejriwal?

Nitin Gadkari: Unki koi keemat nahin hai. Only 150 people turn up at Kejriwal?s meetings and TV news keeps showing him, that?s all. I don?t want to give importance to such individuals. India is a democracy and people are free to do what they want. It doesn?t make a difference to us.

Coomi Kapoor: But the allegation is that they are usurping the space of the Opposition. For instance, the BJP kept quiet on the allegations against Robert Vadra.

Nitin Gadkari: We are not quiet. I have given interviews on Robert Vadra as have our spokespersons. We are against corruption, irrespective of who is involved. Who brought out the Commonwealth Games scam.

Amitabh Sinha: What do you think of Kejriwal?s methods? Are his intentions and the issues he is picking up correct?

Nitin Gadkari: To run a political party is hard. There have been several such attempts before. Their biggest strength is the people, the media?you people keep showing him (Kejriwal). Connecting with people, building ties at the grassroots is very difficult. You have to sit with people every day and build connections. A lot of hard work goes into it. If they (Kejriwal) win, good for them, it is their right. But I don?t want to comment too much on their party and give it too much importance. His tactics of sitting outside peoples? homes, abusing everybody, this will pull down our democracy. The role of all the four pillars of democracy is very important and needs to be respected. We can say a lot of lot of things but we do not, because we have to respect our limits and maintain some sanctity. If everybody is targeted and they leave politics, there won?t be anybody left to work. Secondly, if you have got any evidence, then file a case.

DK Singh: What is your stand on pension and insurance reforms?

Nitin Gadkari: The problem is that the UPA government has betrayed us. They neither have the moral authority nor the majority to bring in these economic policy reforms.

DK Singh: Will you stall these policies for political reasons?

Nitin Gadkari: They commit themselves to something in the House, then they go against it. How can we believe them? On FDI in retail, they have committed a breach of trust.

Ajmer Singh: Don?t you think that Kejriwal has taken over the space of the BJP? Also, Kejriwal said he will make allegations against you.

Nitin Gadkari: I am looking forward to it. Even Digvijay Singh has said the same. After I came to Delhi, the media went against me. People say that I am in partnership with Sharad Pawar. I ask you, find my business links. It has been said that I have links with Ajay Sancheti. Find them. Not one allegation has been proved against me. I can?t go to court every time. All I say is, I am not afraid of allegations. On the question of Kejriwal capturing the Opposition space, let us see what happens in the elections?who loses their deposits and who wins. The media gives them all the space while we get less coverage. Narendra Modi and Gujarat get negative media coverage.

D K Singh: What is you relationship with Ajay Sancheti? Is he a business partner or a friend?

Nitin Gadkari: K D Singh was given a ticket by the Trinamool Congress. Does Mamata become a partner of his? Many Congress MPs have coal mines. Are they partners of Soniaji? Ajay Sancheti?s grandfather was the Sangh?s zila sanghachalak of Buldhana. His uncle Kishan Sancheti was a Jan Sangh MLA. His uncle was a student leader with me and is a BJP MLA. For three generations, they have been doing business. For four-and-a-half years, I was PWD minister in Maharashtra. I didn?t give a single contract to their firm. This time, we gave him a Rajya Sabha ticket. I called everyone to my son?s wedding, including Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel. Ajay Sancheti came too. But the media picks just that one photo of him with me and keeps showing it. Accusations are made without a shred of evidence. I don?t have a business. I run a social enterprise. Biofuel, bioenergy, alternative energy and organic farming?these are the areas in which I work. I planted sugarcane on 70,000 acres, put Rs 500 crore into the pockets of farmers who were committing suicide and wiped out Rs 400 crore in debt.

Arun S: You have alleged that the Congress is manipulating the CBI and other investigative agencies. Do you have any proof of this?

Nitin Gadkari: I am talking with a lot of evidence. The CBI director should be invited to the Congress Working Committee, both Ahmed Patel and Soniaji will find it more convenient to give orders. Mulayam Singh?s assets case has been pending for several years in the Supreme Court. Investigate that. Mayawati, Mulayam, NCP, DMK, JMM?the person they fear the most, more than even Soniaji, is the CBI director. The JMM said that they would support us in the presidential elections. Later they said, don?t ask us what the problem is, but we won?t be able to do it. The CBI director used to threaten some of our leaders in Karnataka during the presidential elections. I have proof.

Maneesh Chhibber: You say the CBI Director will have to answer. But his name is being discussed as the next NHRC Chairman.

Nitin Gadkari: The Election Commissioner and all other regulators should not be given government jobs for up to two years after they retire. It is necessary for this to be in place. The judgments that judges give in their last year could be influenced by their concern about their next job. We want an independent, impartial and fair judiciary. We want a transparent government and we want justice for all. The media should study the cases in Gujarat. Innocent people will be implicated, hung to death. Where are the cases coming from?

Ravish Tiwari: Can you explain who you mean when you say innocents are facing the gallows?

Nitin Gadkari: In the Sohrabuddin case, look at the CID records. Look at how many weapons were found in his house. If three DGPs are implicated in such cases, will any policeman shoot a terrorist? Those three DGPs aren?t associated with the BJP at all. If those three are handcuffed and taken to court, why will any police officer stand up to terrorist organisations?

Praveen Raman (EXIMS): The minority community in this country has doubts about the secular credentials of your party. How will your party approach that community in the 2014 general elections?

Nitin Gadkari: Please check the meaning of the word secular. Secular means sarva dharma samabhav, not dharmanirpekshita. This means that we want a secular media, military and police, a secular government and ministers. But an individual can never be secular. In this country, we have interpreted secular incorrectly. The BJP is not against minorities. In the Goa assembly elections, nine elected Catholics were from the BJP. We do not want to do politics in the name of caste and creed. Muslims have the maximum per capita income in Gujarat. We are against terrorism and terrorist organisations. We are against foreigners entering Assam and other states in the Northeast. We are not against Muslims. Let me say this. If we get above 160 seats in the next general elections, we will be considered completely secular. All the political parties will be with us. If are below 160, we will be considered communal. This is the politics of political convenience.

Ajmer Singh: You said you are not against minorities. But in Deoband recently, you were present with Vinay Katiyar when he said that the Deoband produces terrorists. He also said that the Ram temple will be constructed here, not in Pakistan. Will the temple be an issue in the 2014 elections? Also, what do you have to say about Vinay Katiyar?s statements?

Nitin Gadkari: We want the temple issue to be resolved with unanimity through discussions. On Deoband, Katiyar was referring to a report by Veerappa Moily. We wanted to assure the Muslims of this country that in our rule, there will be no injustice done to Muslims. The BJP is trying to gain the confidence of the Muslims and other minorities. Maybe we haven?t been effective in communicating this, but this is one of the priorities for the BJP.

Ravish Tiwari: Several Muslim youth have been apprehended by the police on various terror changes. Do you think some of them could be innocent?

Nitin Gadkari: This happens many a times with the police. If there are some innocent people, they should not be implicated.

Coomi Kapoor: Whose face will you put up on the poll posters for 2014?

Nitin Gadkari: Isn?t my face good enough? Someone told me that I have been looking better ever since I lost weight!

D K Singh: What do you think of this proposal to create the National Investment Board?

Nitin Gadkari: The government is supposed to control policies, not run businesses. I said that Kingfisher should be saved. The day Kingfisher flights are cancelled, other flights increase rates. I want 10 more airlines to come in and competition to increase so much that tickets should sell outside airports like those for buses. When I say this, people call me a capitalist. This country needs investment. If there is no capital investment in the country, how will GDP grow? Industry will come up when there is water, power, transport and communication.

Vaishali Gupta (student, Bal Bharti Public School): What are your views on the Jan Lokpal Bill?

Nitin Gadkari: I support the idea of a Jan Lokpal Bill. The problems in the country are not because of the system, it lies within the society. Politicians belong to the same society, where we have seen a progressive deterioration in human values. The Lokpal will come from this very society and if this deterioration persists, it will be a problem. If one politician does something wrong, does it mean the entire community is wrong? If we behave like that, then the system will collapse. We do need a Lokpal Bill, but it will not solve all our problems.

Maneesh Chhibber: Elections are due in Gujarat. If Narendra Modi wins, is he your prime ministerial candidate?

Nitin Gadkari: The BJP has a lot of leaders with the capability to become the prime ministerial candidate?Advaniji, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Dr. Joshi, and Narendra Modi. After the Lok Sabha polls, depending on our electoral situation, we will choose our PM candidate. Our party is not a pita-putra and ma-beta party. This country has only two democratic political parties?the BJP and the Communist parties.

Maneesh Chhibber: Will you go the polls without a clear leader?

Nitin Gadkari: Can the Congress say Manmohan Singh is their next leader? As per the rules of democracy, new leaders elect their future leader after they are elected. We have a lot of faces.

Transcribed by Dipankar Ghose, Naved Iqbal & Pritha Chatterjee

* This session was held before India Against Corruption?s

October 17 press conference on Gadkari