Video Editor: Mohammad Ibrahim
In this segment of the exclusive interview Road and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari gave to senior journalist Karan Thapar for The Quint, the minister answers tough questions about the deteriorating condition of minority rights, communal statements from leaders of the ruling party, the prime minister’s “silence” on issues including rapes and murders, and the media’s coverage of the current government’s activities.
On Communal Remarks by BJP Leaders
When asked about one of the former accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence, Sambhaji Bhide, Gadkari states that Bhide being implicated in the case was a “conspiracy by naxals and maoists”.
There’s a planned conspiracy by the BJP’s opponents, to create fear in the minds of Dalit and Muslims. They are annoyed with the BJP government. That’s why they are creating fear and confusion.Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road and Highways
Thapar then quotes incidents:
In January, Banwari Lal Singhal, a BJP MLA in Rajasthan said, “The way the Muslim population is increasing, the existence of Hindus is in danger.” In April, a BJP MLA in Karnataka, Sanjay Patil said, “This is a Hindu Rashtra. We want to build the Ram Temple.”
On PM Modi’s ‘Silence’
In response to Gadkari’s assertion that the BJP leaders’ remarks have been misquoted by some media outlets, Thapar places two more reports, from internationally known media outlets, The New York Times and The London Times:
On 16 April, The New York Times wrote about Mr Modi that “he has exhibited a pattern of silence and deflection that is deeply worrying to anybody who cares about the world’s healthiest democracy.” On 23 April, The London Times wrote about Modi, “He has been complicit in a culture that minimises the very existence of these crimes [Kathua and Unnao rapes].
Nitin Gadkari, in response, asks how the prime minister is responsible for these and other incidents of rape, sexual assault, and other crimes.
Thapar, then highlights the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh.
He says in the matter of a death that shook India, it was found that the PM was following people who even referred to Gauri Lankesh as “kutiya”, and that BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya rushed to defend the prime minister’s right to follow people.
Watch the full interview above.
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