Narendrabhai, Babubhai and Doordarshan interview(videos)

Ahmedabad, 2 May, 2014

As we said before, Narendra Modi’s office has good practice of capturing his interviews with any channel in video. Modi’s office kept a video of his interview to Doordarshan. When some misleading news reports were out about edited parts of Modi’s interview, Modi’s office released full tape of his conversation with Doordarshan correspondent on Youtube. One of the edited part was a question/answer on Ahmed Patel – the most powerful Congress man in Gujarat thanks to his experience, his friendly nature and his position(political secretary of Congress president Sonia Gandhi) in Delhi.Following is Ahmed Patel part of conversation in text:

Doordarshan: But like a (typical) politician, you called Ahmed Patel ji as Ahmed Miya!

Narendra Modi:For your information, Ahmed Patel is among some of the best friends I have in Congress. Not now, because these days perhaps he faces trouble(due to it). He even doesn’t reply to my phone calls, I don’t know why.

Doordarshan:Earlier you used to talk to him on phone?

Narendra Modi:I used to visit his place to have meal. We had good friendship, and on personal level I am of opinion, I should have good friendship. And you people don’t know, we don’t call him Ahmedbhai. We call him Babubhai. For us Ahmedbhai is Babubhai only. For many years we knew him as Babubhai only.

In public life he should be given respect. He should be given respect in his area. Because in public life if I call him Babubhai, it wouldn’t look good, and calling Miya Sahab is honorable term, and I use honorable term.

Ahmed Patel reacts:

Reacting to Narendra Modi’s remark Ahmed Patel today said: I can’t be a friend of a person who divides the nation. If Modi proves his claims I will leave public life. Last meal I took with Modi was in 1980. Modi doesn’t offer meal to Advani, then how can he take meal with me? I have not taken even tea with Modi in last ten years. I have never visited his house or office. It is wrong to say that I am his close friend. I have not accepted any favor from him. I have never asked him to do something.

Author’s note:

Shri Modi is correct when he says Ahmedbhai is not among best friends in Congress nowadays. Ahmed Patel keeps distance from Modi. We spotted this at couple of occasions recently. Ahmed Patel and Narendra Modi both were to attend the wedding functions of Shankersinh Vaghela’s grand daughter and Parimal Nathwani’s son. But Ahmedbhai cautiously choose to visit the functions only before or after Narendrabhai’s arrival to avoid any joint photo or mutual talk.

Nevertheless, Ahmed Patel had in his interview to Rediff.Com clearly said that as a Gujarati, if Modi becomes prime minister, he would be pleased and proud. Then (for protection cover?) Ahmedbhai used ‘but’ and completed the line speaking about Modi’s shortcomings.