New Delhi:
Despite the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi being summoned by the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) looking into 2002 Gujarat riots cases, BJP President Nitin Gadkari has praised him as a role model of development.
Speaking to NDTV in an interview, Gadkari said, "The riot case summons to Modi makes no difference; he still remains a role model for the country." He added that there was no reason why Modi couldn't hold the highest post in the country one day. (
Read: Modi summoned by Supreme Court panel)
Having to contend with both silent sulks and open attack from within his party, the new BJP president also stoutly defended his choice of people for his new team of office-bearers.
On the controversial inclusion as Secretary of Varun Gandhi, a man the party had in the past sought to distance itself from after his hate speeches, Gadkari said: "Varun Gandhi should be given a chance, why hold the past against him?"
(Read & Watch: Give Varun Gandhi a chance, says Gadkari)Gadkari also made clear that, "Those who have complaints about the newteam should speak to me, not the media," a barb at partymen like actorShatrughan Sinha, who had criticised the new president for leaving out"the most deserving people". (
Read: Shatrughan slams Gadkari)
Theactor had particularly talked about the exclusion from the team ofveteran Yashwant Sinha, saying the team was constituted withoutconsulting "people who matter like my friend and leader of oppositionSushma Swaraj and some other top leaders".
Gadkari counteredthe charges by saying: "It's wrong to say that Yashwant Sinha and ArunShourie were excluded because they are Advani detractors... It's notpossible to include everyone on the team."
The BJP chief, whowas reported scrambling for approval from the RSS for his list ofoffice-bearers hours before he announced the names, however, maintainedthat there was no pressure from the RSS on team selection.
Healso sought to clear the air on the inclusion of a number ofcelebrities as senior office-bearers by saying, "The celebrities weincluded are also committed party workers, they are not justcelebrities." Getting in people like Hema Malini as Vice President andNavjyot Singh Sindhu and Smriti Irani as Secretaries is seen by many asa move by Gadkari to use known faces strategically in his bid to reviveand re-popularise the BJP. The Sangh's choice of workers is notpersonality-based.
In the broad-based interview, Gadkaritalked about the summons to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi fromthe Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) lookinginto 2002 Gujarat riots cases. "Modi is a big leader of our party, theSIT summons make no difference", Gadkari said.
Talkingexclusively to NDTV in Mumbai, Gadkari also commented on the issue ofpartners Shiv Sena targeting non-Maharashtrians in the city. "Webelieve Mumbai is for all Indians, but just because we have somedifferences with the Shiv Sena, doesn't mean it will impact ouralliance," he said.