More recently, you were seen as trying to sabotage the Indo-Pak cricket series.
The stories given out in my name were false. This is another unfair charge against me. Our only worry wasthat if the dates of the matches clash with elections, then the polling percentage would be affected. Therewas no difference on having the series within the government.
There has been speculation on your motives behind taking out this yatra. Was it jointly discussed withthe PM?
No. It was my idea. I first discussed it with the party president and then with the PM. It was the press thatdid all the speculation about my motives.
There is also speculation about the Atal-Advani relationship. Some people see you as a challenger to thePM.
All I can say is that they are wrong. I don't want to say anymore about it.
I believe that you are annoyed with some of the journalists' constant harping on Gujarat?
I believe that Vajpayee's six years in office have seen communal harmony at its best. Gujarat was a blot butif Godhra had not happened Gujarat would not have happened. Yet to say that the Modi government wasresponsible is unfair. There could have been retaliation after the Akshardham attack if the government had notacted.
But Narendra Modi does have an image problem.
Why Modi? I am perceived as the biggest hardliner. I have no problem being called a hardliner. But if thatmeans being a bigot, narrow-minded or communal then it is totally unfair. It is some sections of the press whoshow me with horns.
You keep saying in your speeches that a Ram mandir will be built after this election.
Away from the glare of publicity a lot of groundwork has been done. Many Muslims have met me to say theyare in favour of a consensus but I don't want to divulge the details now. But I am optimistic about anegotiated settlement.
Do you believe there has been a change in the attitude of Muslims towards the BJP?
I believe that the last six years of Vajpayee's rule have forced them to rethink their attitude. They maynot have become our supporters but at least the hostility is not there.
You are seen as the ideologue who sets the agenda. Do you think the secular/ non-secular debate is over?
Had it not been for some sections of the English press we would have won the debate long ago. I would callit a debate between secularism and psuedo-secularism. In a recent BBC programme Mark Tully said that Gandhi'ssecularism which gives religion a place suits India much better than Nehru's secularism that has no place forreligion.
What would you say is the real secret of the BJP's growth in such a short time?
We have succeeded because of our ability to identify which is the right issue to be projected for anational debate at the right time.
What are your views on the BJP not directly referring to Article 370 in its vision document?
We are not stressing it today because of contemporary realities. Our position on Article 370 is arecognition of that. Similarly the Uniform Civil Code is a constitutional provision. But we don't implement ittoday because a huge section of the population does not accept it.
As you journey towards Ayodhya do you have any thoughts on your earlier Ram rath yatra.
My Ram rath yatra had been taken out in response to the cynical politics of the Congress party. Vote bankpolitics had become synonymous with secularism. First they overturned the Shahbano judgement and, then toappease Hindus, opened the locks of the Ram mandir. I began my yatra in order to expose this politics of theCongress. I don't agree with those who say the Ram temple movement divided Indian society. At that time castewas dividing society. The Ram movement in fact helped unite Hindus together. And today I believe thatconsensus on building a glorious temple at Ayodhya will play a role in uniting Hindus and Muslims in thefuture.
Excerpts from this interview appeared in the print edition.
