I'm willing to leave all work to talk to artists: Rajnath Singh

NEW DELHI: Home Minister Rajnath Singh has extended an open invitation for dialogue with eminent persons returning their awards, saying he is willing to "sit a whole day" to discuss their concerns on intolerance. However, he has urged them to stop attacking the Prime Minister.

"Har cheez mein PM ko target karne ka matlab hamari samajh mein nahin aa raha hai (I do not understand why this targeting of the Prime Minister on every issue). I am responsible for internal security. They should target me. Prime Minister is an institution… attacking (PM) does not benefit the country," he told ETin an exclusive interview.

Calling for a dialogue to cool down tempers amid growing criticism of the government, Singh said: "I am ready to discuss everything. I am ready to set aside everything else and sit down a whole day with them. I will welcome them to come and highlight the reasons they feel have given rise to intolerance."

When asked if this can be considered as an official invitation for dialogue, the home minister said: "Yes. Yes. Main taiyar hun. Unse charcha ko main bilkul taiyar hun. Main swagat karunga charcha ki. (I am ready for a discussion with them. I will welcome a discussion with them). They should explain their concerns. And not only that, if they really highlight some concerns, I will welcome their valuable suggestions."

While emphasising on "samvaad" (dialogue), Singh did wonder aloud like other BJP leaders as to why awards were not returned when bigger communal riots took place under different governments.

"Uss samay toh award wapsi ki baatien toh hui nahin (no award returning happened in those times). Lekin phir bhi, yadi unka yah mat hai, toh democracy mein main chahunga ki unke saath charcha honi chahiye (Still, if they feel like that we should have a discussion in democracy)," Singh told ET.

The home minister went a step ahead and assured there would be no curb on people’s food or religious preferences under his watch. "(I want to say) There is no restriction on people’s eating habits. There is no restriction on one’s religious practices."

On BJP president Amit Shah’s remark that crackers will be burst in Pakistan if the Mahagathbandhan were to win the Bihar elections, Singh said it might just have been an expression of frustration with Pakistan and should not be over-interpreted. "It should not be interpreted wrongly… we are trying to improve our relations with our neighbour, but Pakistan is not responding the way we expect. Uske kaaran jo mann mein dard hoga uski abhivyakti hai (It is an expression of the hurt over that issue). Yehi tatparya raha hoga (this would have been his intention).

Singh strongly refuted suggestions that the BJP was trying to communalise the election pitch through such statements, parking the blame on the Grand Alliance leadership for bringing down the standard of campaign language.

"I do not have any barometer … but leaders of Grand Alliance must be careful that the decorum is not breached. The level of discourse should not go down." When asked about BJP leaders crossing the line, Singh quipped: "This suggestion is for everyone…. but our party trains us to maintain a decorum."

The home minister refused to get drawn into any detailed comment on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh but strongly defended any accusation that the Sangh was communal in outlook.

"I am a follower of RSS’ ideology….if that ideology was communal or believed in discrimination, it would be reflected in my behaviour."

He, however, refused to say much on RSS’ recent concerns on demographic imbalance on the basis of latest census data, a subject that comes under the home ministry.

"No body had called me. I cannot comment about RSS’ internal meeting. I am not part of those deliberations."