New Delhi: After triggering a row over his “yeh dil maange more” comments, Narendra Modi Tuesday night asserted that he holds Kargil martyr Capt Vikram Batra as well as his parents in high esteem and would quit politics rather than even thinking about disrespecting such citizens.
The BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate denounced the controversy over his usage of the phrase used by late Batra and wondered “what kind of politics is this” that one even cannot remember martyrs.
In a 3D telecast, he said Congress is using “all tricks in the book and all abuses” to target him as it is sensing defeat in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.
“When I went to Kolkata, I remebered Subhash Chandra Bose, when I went to Jhansi, I remembered Rani Laxmi Bai and today I went to Himachal Pradesh and remembered the great son of India Vikram Batra. But When I returned to Ahmedabad I got to know how my political rivals have distorted my statement. I was deeply hurt,” Modi said.
He was referring to his comment in Himachal Pradesh where he used the phrase ‘yeh dil maange more' to seek 300 seats in the Lok Sabha polls.
Batra's father G L Batra said his son should not be dragged into politics.
Batra's mother Kamal Kanta Batra is a candidate of Aam Aadmi Party from Hamirpur in HP.
“Vikram Batra is a son of India. Is it a crime to remember a martyr? Their parents have sacrificed a lot and I bow to them.... What sort of a political fever is this that does not allow you to remember the martyrs of India,” he said.
Asserting that he had not insulted Batra, Modi said, “I would rather quit politics than even think of insulting our martyrs and their parents. Modi is made of different mettle.”
