'Our Dear Advani, Home Minister, Has Got It Wrong'

The home minister has been criticised for giving a clean chit to the VHP and Bajrang Dal after the Staines murder. Your reaction?
That is left to him. He has to find out what the facts are. But in this context I will tell you something else. He said that he had information that the culprits who raped the sisters at Jhabua were Christians. Now I have not asked him where he got the information from because he can turn around and say that it is confidential. He has that right. But how is it that I've got just the opposite information. From the very sisters who were attacked. There was not a Christian among them. Where do we stand? My conclusion is, with due respect to the machinery employed by our dear Advani, there is some defect.

So, this is a crisis of credibility for the Centre?
There is the whole question of credibility. We now doubt everybody's statement. Even in the Staines case, Advani is saying something, and the media, that Bajrang Dal is involved.

What about the national debate on conversions the PM asked for?
I've stated emphatically in a letter to the PM that we are willing to debate conversions provided all religions are involved, only religious leaders are invited and there is no tampering with the Constitution. Reflecting further, however, as other parties feel no need for it, I agree. There is no need for it. But since he asked me, I have responded. In fact, a national debate on poverty or corruption would be far more appropriate than diverting attention by debating conversion.