The BJP brand of Hindutva was originally rooted in middle-class disenchantment with secular hypocrisies; Modi's version is defined simply by hard-edged hatred.
The BJP's central leadership needs to recast the party structure where you openly speak of Hindutva and Indianness.
All political parties with secular credentials are bound to align and unite in fighting against communal forces. So, when the time comes, I believe that the SP and the BJP will join the Mahagathbandhan at the national level.
Although BJP and Congress are two sides of same coin, BJP is far more communal. Since BJP came to power, there is an atmosphere of hatred, and there is a takeover of the democratic institutions.
Unlike the Congress or the BJP leaders, who are away from people, I am not. I mix with people, and I know how they feel. That gives me an edge over the Congress and the BJP.
Shiv Sena and BJP have the same ideology of Hindutva.
Secularism for the Congress is merely a slogan while for the BJP it is an article of faith. Secularism is about votebank politics for the Congress, while it is about 'India first' for the BJP.
Compared to Congress, BJP is spending huge money in the elections. BJP keeps claiming that it is not corrupt. Then where is it getting such huge monies from?
No one should do politics in the guise of Hindutva and teach us what Hindutva is.
We are fighting the BJP and the Congress at both the state and national levels. People know them to be two sides of the same coin. However, our primary goal is to defeat the BJP as it is led by the RSS, and they exhibit fascist tendencies.
BJP is doing "gathbandhan". Congress is doing "brashtbandhan" and the criminals are doing "lathbandhan". Our politics is about coalitions. Every coalition where the BJP is part of as leaders, has been successful.
We need to employ a secular approach to ethics, secular in the Indian sense of respecting all religious traditions and even the views of non-believers in an unbiased way. Secular ethics rooted in scientific findings, common experience and common sense can easily be introduced into the secular education system. If we can do that there is a real prospect of making this 21st century an era of peace and compassion.
Why should you construe that Congress and BJP are the only forces at the Centre? There could be third or fourth force.
The BJP is trying to spread fire and violence across the country, and there is only one force that can stop it - the workers of the Congress and its leaders.
For the poor, for those who want to serve, the only place left for such people is BJP. When someone joins the BJP family, it is not only about membership, we strengthen relationships.
If we can do something to help show people that it's not only OK - we encourage asking for help, because we take care of everybody's physical needs all over the place, we should all be on top of all of our mental needs and wellness needs.