Q: In 2014, suppose Narendra Modi becomes PM. How will he be as a PM?
Renuka: (Laughs for a while). I'm so sorry I can't stop laughing on this . I'm not used to comment on fantasies and fictions. We'll see when he becomes PM. The road is very long, very far.
Q: Modi has won three consecutive elections in Gujarat.
Renuka: So what? Even Sheila Dikshit has won three elections; she is going to win for the fourth time as well. Even Assam CM has won three elections. You don't become PM by winning elections only. There are many reasons for becoming PM.
Q: How do you look at Modi? Do you think he is a communal leader?
Renuka: He does not look secular, at least. Forget my opinion, what does the majority of this country feels. Even Amartya Sen has said that he does not want Modi as PM of this country because he is not giving that comfort to minorities. Why is it that all these allegations are leveled against Modi only? He tries very hard through his ‘Sadbhavana yatras' and all but the stigma is refusing to leave him. Why? Why? Why only he is called communal? It's not that riots did not take place at other places. Riots take place in a democracy. There must be some drawback in his approach, gesture, behavior, nature. And that's why he is not conveying the message of carrying along the minorities.
Q: What is Congress party's official stand on US visa to Modi? He is a CM of an Indian state and US has refused to grant him visa.
Renuka: We have nothing to say. Every nation takes its own decision on visa. We'll not like if anybody interferes in our visa policy. Similarly, US has its own visa policy. If you ask me I'd like to push the case of those Indian students who want to go there for higher studies. Tell me one thing, why is Modi dying for US visa? It's alright if Modi failed to get the US visa. What's the big deal? Why doesn't he focus on his work?
