Throwing his weight behind BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, senior columnist and author NJ Akbar defended his decision to support the party by saying it was the only party that could wipe out poverty and put India back on the path of development.
Senior journalist MJ Akbar. Facebook image
Speaking to CNN-IBN's editor-in-chief Rajdeep Sardesai, Akbar said it was time the country moved away from the politics of fear, adding that it was time to give Modi a chance and "see what happens".
"It isn't the easiest thing in the world for a Muslim to join hands with Modi... but I'm not troubled...I think this person (Modi) can deliver to help the Muslim community as much as the Hindu community in the country," he said.
On being asked whether he found no conflict with the ideas of secularism propagated by the RSS, Akbar said the definitions provided to him by the party were that of inclusiveness and development, saying, "Modi had said the only religion of an Indian is the constitution of India, and that is enough for me."
Akbar however, refused to elaborate on what he felt about the scarce distribution of tickets among Muslims in the BJP. "It's an evolutionary step, parties look at winnability also."
Arguing that in the field of journalism one should not let biases influence reprotage, Akbar said he didn't agree that journalists have the right to claim all knowledge of the truth. "If after 10 years of Congress scrutiny, there has been no linkages of Modi to Gujarat riots, we have to change our view," he said.
On being asked why Modi has not yet visited certain riot his areas of Gujarat if he was truly inclusive in his approach, Akbar said that development need not just be wiping away tears of the Muslims.
"In last ten years, Muslims have been impoverished, nothing has been done for them... Governance now has risen to the very top of BJP's agenda and the voter's agenda... Best way to wipe the tears of Muslims is to wipe away hunger among them."
In an article published in today's edition of the Economic Times, Akbar had argued that Modi had to face intense scrutiny from a 10-year UPA government rule with 'the absolute determination to trace guilt to a Chief Minister'. Views, quite contrary to those he had aired and were published in the past.
"Every relevant instrument of state was assigned the task of finding something, anything that could trace guilt to Modi. They could not.
The Supreme Court, which is above politics and parties, and which is our invaluable, independent guardian of the law and Constitution, undertook its own enquiries. Its first findings are in, and we know that the answer is exoneration.
One suspects that only some politicians have a vested interest in the past during an election when Indians want to vote for their future."
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