Tehelka case: Accept my Facebook post partly politicised the debate, Arun Jaitley tells NDTV

New Delhi: In an exclusive interview to NDTV, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley says he admits his Facebook post on the Tehelka case had partly politicised the issue.

Following are the highlights of the interview:

• This issue is not Tarun Tejpal vs the BJP
• This is about justice for the young lady and a criminal trial... the due process of law and punishment, if court comes to that finding
• Partly accept that I politicised it to the extent the Congress party is concerned
• Entitled the make a comment that is political, since the Congress leaders have been speaking on all other matters, why are they silent on this issue, the three gentlemen that I have named
• They have been most conspicuous by careful comments or silent
• He spoke to both of us separately, we advised him not do it. Now we'll ask him why he did
• This is the first time in a rape charge, secularism is being used as defence... there are elements in our society who'll forget the culpability of the offence and support the politics of the man
• Offense has to be fairly tried... Court has to decide
• I write a daily Facebook post. This was the event of the day... Must comment on important issues
• Since the media for the past 24 hours was under the impression that this was molestation,
  I thought it was my duty to point out that under the new law it was rape
• I'm entitled to make a comment
• Not entitled to ask why Congress is silent? In the political arena, there can't be censorship... Please let the country have the benefit of your views, they haven't been visible
• Even though Tejpal is trying hard to turn this into Tejpal vs BJP, we should not go beyond the merits of the case
• Digvijaya Singh almost sympathized
  
  (On protest outside former Tehelka Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhury's house)
  
• He (Vijay Jolly) should not have done it
• I'm glad Sushma Swaraj has come out with it
• Vijay Jolly was advised to not do it. I would not advise anybody in the BJP to do this. Won't justify it...Sushma Swaraj criticised it, I do too
  
  (On Sushma Swaraj's tweet) 
• According to me this is not the issue. As a magazine, it was critical of the BJP. I've also written for them
• Issue is Tarun's action must be judged in terms of what happened at the hotel. Leave it for the due process of law
• Everybody will have a political angle to it. Someone will give a motive to the original sting
• If he is held guilty, he must pay the price
• Charge had not been filed... E-mail prima facie made out a strong case
• Don't regret having used that language
  
  (On Shoma Chaudhury)
• I think this could lead to hushing up of the case
• In a case of sexual assault, it's the victim's choice
• It's a serious criminal act... must encourage women
• Young lady should be encouraged and protected rather than dissuaded
• This offense should have been reported on Day 1
• Can't be held back for 10 days
  
  (On Stalk-gate)
  
• Let it be investigated and found out whether it was protection or snooping by the state government
• Congress is capable of turning anything into an election issue
• Silence preferred where it protects a woman's honour
  
• Rather than allowing doubts, state government ordered probe. All concerned will depose before the commission; it will look into compliance with procedures
• If needed, Amit Shah and Narendra Modi will depose before commission
  
  (On Elections)
• Elections in states are certainly are an index of the mood in the state
• National mood also partly reflected
• Declared Narendra Modi PM candidate, risk worth taking
  
  (On Arvind Kejriwal)
• There is an environment of political cynicism
• Likely to get some votes
• Nobody comes to me with such proposals (On AAP sting operation)
• Unless you say that that voice has been implanted... Which is not the case