Rahul has all the qualities needed to be India’s PM: Digvijay

As general elections draw near, the political climate is slowly turning hot. Against this backdrop, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh spoke to Zeenews.com’s Swati Chaturvedi in Kahiye Janab on a range of issues from the possibility of Rahul Gandhi becoming the PM to AR Antulay’s controversial comments. Swati: Is Rahul Gandhi your Prime Ministerial candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in March? Digvijay: Rahul has all the qualities which are needed to be India’s PM. He has travelled the country and understands the problems and situations facing the nation today. Besides Rahul feels the pain of the poor. He enjoys the full backing of the party. Who among the youth can be compared to Rahul Gandhi in today’s political horizon? But Soniaji has already clarified that Dr Manmohan Singh will be Congress’ Prime Ministerial candidate. Swati: When Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister then the political scenario was different. Today alliance politics has become quite important. Digvijay: Rajiv Gandhi became PM after the assassination of Indira Gandhi. God-forbid that such a thing is never repeated. Rahul is treading the right path. Swati: So there can’t be any person other than him? Digvijay: If the Congress party wants to make him a leader, then why should you have an objection? Swati: Congress party has often been criticised for pursuing “minority appeasement” and “vote bank politics”. Digvijay: In any civil society minorities are taken care of. The socio-economic surveys which have been carried out prove that they are backward. So if they are taken care of, then what’s wrong with it. Congress has always been concerned that the majority must enjoy minorities’ support. Special schools, educational institutions have been opened for the minorities. Various scholarship schemes have also been launched. In today’s times, a husband does not vote on his wife’s behest and vice versa. So what votebank politics are you talking about? But illegal migrants must not get voting rights. Swati: What should the Congress party’s stand be while dealing with Pakistan and how must India handle the ISI? Digvijay: India is for peace. Unfortunately our neighbouring country has been ruled by military dictators for quite a long time. There, the army has acquired a distinct identity. I don’t know what the ISI says or does. But one thing has been proved that terrorist activities emanate from Pakistani soil. ISI has links with militant outfits like the JeM and the LeT and this happens as a matter of policy. This has been proved in front of the whole world. Their policies have produced regional fundamentalism, which has caused a spurt in terrorism. The Congress party has always fought fundamentalism. Swati: Amar Singh has announced the names of candidates for 29 seats including Sanjay Dutt, who will be standing from Lucknow. You had said that your party committed a mistake by allying with Mayawati-led BSP in UP. Would you not be repeating the same mistake by allying with the SP? Digvijay: The chief of the Samajwadi Party is Mulayam Singh Yadav not Amar Singh. We respect the SP. We are also grateful to SP as it supported us when we needed them. In Uttar Pradesh, the reason why the BJP garnered a few votes was largely due to SP’s efforts. Swati: So this alliance is permanent? Digvijay: Nothing is permanent in politics. But we believe that in the elections secular parties must come together to fight the polls. Our motive is to stop communal parties in UP; towards this end we want the Samajwadi Party to contest the polls with us. Swati: Sanjay Dutt is contesting the Lok Sabha polls as an SP candidate. Digvijay: We have a candidate for Lucknow. However Sanjay Dutt is acceptable to us. We believe that Priya Dutt has inherited her father Sunil Dutt’s political dynasty. But Sanjay is also like our son. If he ever wants to join our party, he will be welcome. Adapted by: Ritam Banati