I am a patriot, says Narendra Modi

AHMEDABAD: Narendra Modi had sparked a controversy sometime back by describing himself as a Hindu nationalist, but today he said that he was a "patriot".

"I would like to see myself as an Indian first and foremost, I am a Hindu by faith and I am proud of the faith I belong to. I love my country. So you can say that I am a patriot", he told PTI.

The BJP Prime Ministerial candidate was anwsering a question about his statement in July last year in which he had described himself as a Hindu nationalist even as he had maintained that the Government had only one religion ie. India First. He was asked if he saw a contradiction there.