Narendra Modi defends BJP on triple talaq and Sabarimala

Speaking to news agency ANI in a rare interview on New Year's Day, Modi said: "The two things are different."

When asked about the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s "double-standards" on the two issues, he said: "Triple talaq is not a matter of religion or faith. It is about gender equality. Even the Islamic countries including Pakistan have banned the practice. (Regarding Sabarimala) On the other hand, several men are also not allowed to enter various temples. The Supreme Court's woman judge had also given her verdict against women's entry to Sabarimala. I think we must discuss that verdict also."

"The triple talaq ordinance was brought after the Supreme Court verdict. I urge Congress people to allow the court proceedings to take place over the Ram temple case in the Supreme court. After the verdict comes, the government will initiate its action."

Though the BJP has brought the triple talaq bill in Parliament, the saffron brigade are opposing the Supreme Court's verdict allowing menstruating women to enter Kerala's Sabarimala temple.

Giving her views, Justice Indu Malhotra, who was the second woman to be designated as Senior Advocate by the Supreme Court in 2007, had said that the apex court could not entertain Public Interest Litigations (PILs) challenging religious practices as it could harm India's secular nature. 

In the 90-minute interview, Modi also hit out at the Congress for lying about "loan waivers" in the political campaigns.

Though the Congress took a ride in the loan waiver issue to wrest power in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, Modi said: "It is a lie. Follow the circulars of the Congress government."

Modi even mocked Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who had hugged the Prime Minister in Parliament last year, for terming GST (Goods and Services Tax) as Gabbar Singh Tax (GST), alluding to an antagonistic character of 1975 iconic Hindi film Sholay.

"People will talk according to their mentality. GST was passed with the consent of the Congress party. The process of GST was started since the time Pranab Mukherjee was the President," the Prime Minister said taking a dig at his prime opponent Rahul.

Not sparing the Congress over the corruption issue, Modi said: "We have to agree that they are out on bail. The family which ruled the country for its four generations are now on bail, that too on cases of financial irregularities. People at the their service try to suppress these facts and raise other issues."

Modi ensured that several fugitives, who have left the country, will have to return to the country.

The BJP-led union government has received severe criticisms from the Opposition, majorly Congress, over the flying of fugitive businessmen like Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.

The Prime Minister also criticised the Congress for providing legal assistance to Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in Agusta Westland case.

Admitting his party will have to introspect for the losses in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh to the Congress, Modi said he is looking forward to talking to allies.

Not revealing about his future political equations with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, who gave a post-poll support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh after fighting the contest separately, Modi said: "No sensible person will speak about political equations in front of television cameras."

But, he said it is the BJP which is better than the Congress in dealing with the allies. "We allow allies to grow but Congress usurps them."

Regarding the grand alliance, which is yet to form, Modi said: "In a battle of survival, several opposition parties are joining hands. They are only accusing Modi."

"I have no information that Telangana Rashtriya Samithi (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhar Rao's idea of front is taking place," he added.

Speaking about India's relation with Pakistan, Modi, in an attempt to rise above politics, said: "It has been the policy of every government at the Centre to have good relations with our neighbours."

"We have always wanted dialogue - it is not a question of Modi or Manmohan... But we have always maintained that their support to terror must end first. And we have successfully managed to isolate Pakistan on the global arena," he said.

Asked about the BJP trying to gain political mileage from the 2016 surgical strikes, Modi said: "I personally believe that surgical strikes should not be politicised."

"On the surgical strikes, there are some political parties who began to speak the same language as Pakistan. These parties were demeaning our armed forces. They politicised such an issue," he said.

The Prime Minister said just like Indians spoke of the bravery of our solders in various wars, the surgical strike was also a demonstration of their strength.

"If we don't sing praises of our army's bravery, who will?" he said.

Modi on Tuesday said former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Urjit Patel had been wanting to resign for six or seven months before he actually did.

Modi said: "The governor requested me (to accept his resignation) citing personal reasons...and I'm saying this for the first time... he had been repeatedly telling me for six or seven months."

"He had even said it in writing," he said, adding that the governor had cited personal reasons for it.

When asked if he could confirm Patel was not under political pressure, the Prime Minister said an emphatic no.

"RBI governor Urjit Patel did good work," he said.

Congress and other opposition parties had said Patel had been forced to quit before his tenure was over due to political pressure.

Congress counters Modi's interview:

The Congress has called Modi's New Year interview a "monologue".

Criticising Modi's interview, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the Prime Minister did nothing but beat his own drum in the course of the 90-minute interaction.

Surjewala said: "The monologue interview turned out to be nothing. It was about I, me mine and myself. Your eyes and lies have destroyed India's societal fabric and economy, trampling upon constitutional institutions and also rights of individuals, snatching livelihood and shutting down businesses. Hope you had expressed regrets over your blunders."

Surjewala also raised several questions regarding the promises Modi made while campaigning for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Referring to the Prime Minister's earlier-made promises, the Congress leader asked whether 15 lakh rupees being credited to every Indian's bank account or the black money has been retrieved from foreign soils.

Surjewala said: "Modi had promised to simplify business but he ruined it by making Gabbar Singh Tax."

Interestingly, the Congress had supported the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led union government for the passage of the GST bill in Parliament. The new tax regime came into effect from July 1, 2017.

The Congress leader also asked the Prime Minister whether farmers got the profits which Modi had promised almost five years ago.

Touching on alleged scams, Surjewala asked why the Modi government was not agreeing with the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Rafale deal (buying of 36 fighter jets by India from France).

Though the Supreme Court has said the required process was being followed in signing the deal, the Congress continued to level corruption allegations against the BJP government by calling Modi a "thief".