Ahmedabad, 14 December 2013

Following is the discussion between a news channel and Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy on Narendra Modi:

NDTV: But the much larger context in the debate today is of course secularism. We have seen that the BJP says that secularism is used as a mask. Pseudo-secularism, Narendra Modi says, ‘India first’, ‘development is my mantra’. Do you think we now need to go beyond labels of secular and communal because Mr. Modi’s opponents will raise issues like Gujarat against him?

Narayana Murthy: No I think secularism is very important. It is fundamental because in a pluralistic society like India, we want every India to be enthusiastic about the future. We cannot let anybody feel that he or she is a second class citizen, therefore secularism is extremely important. But it should not just stop at secularism, it should go beyond that and that is where development becomes extremely important, development on a platform of secular democracy, that is the need of the day.

NDTV: Many critics of Mr. Modi would say Corporate India supports Narendra Modi and they ignore issues like say unequal development that the Gujarat well-built model actually beyond on paper, Mr. Digvijay Singh and various Congressmen raise this often, you’ve been to Gujarat many times, you’ve worked with Mr. Modi, do you accept this argument?

Narayana Murthy: No I don’t accept that argument because I have been to Gujarat, I am the chairman of Gujarat Enterprise Institute, I have worked with Mr. Narendra Modi, I have met him several times, I have tremendous respect for what he has done in Gujarat. We must all give credit where it is due. If you look at the power situation in Gujarat, if you look at the road situation in Gujarat, it is better than most states that I have been to. So why don’t we simply accept that this man has done something good. We have to be fair to people.

NDTV: So you think sometimes the whole debate whether its Prof. Amartya Sen, or Prof. U.R. Ananthamurthy saying that we don’t want to, Mr. Modi shouldn’t be the PM of India, do you accept that argument?

Narayana Murthy: I think we have to go on the basis of whoever is the best so far as development based on a secular democracy is concerned. Whether it is Mr Narendra Modi, whether it is Mr. Rahul Gandhi or whether Mr Arvind Kejriwal or somebody else, that’s fine.

NDTV: And you don’t think that Gujarat riots are an issue, which should stop Mr. Modi from becoming Prime Minister?

Narayana Murthy: No. We had had riots in Delhi. I mean, while certainly as I pointed out earlier. I think it will as long as people recognise their stakes, as long as they show a sense of contrition, I think that should be fine. I think, there is no human being as perfect. There have been lots of riots in India, so the important thing is, for us to say, we will correct what happened. We will move forward in a positive way.