... When somebody earns this undeserving profit, he can't claim to be a patriot by merely declaring that he is one, or by chanting 'Bharat mata ki jai' and Vande Mataram, or by saluting the national flag and singing national anthem. I think all that is a fraud on the country.

Patriotism should never ever be equated with ... religion because there is no evidence to establish that patriotism has to do anything with religion. For, had it been so Bangladesh should not have come into existence! The basis of Pakistan's creation was Islam. But one fine day India had to go and do midwifery to help Bangladesh to come into existence ...

I don't believe in Hinduism being touted as a synonym for patriotism ...

... The ultimate test of your patriotism is what you do or what you don't. The Christian missionaries in India- whether they should have gone about converting people or not is a matter on which there can be an eternal debate - have done work to raise the level of consciousness of the people through education, giving a sense of dignity to the people through institutions which look after one's health needs and so on. So, providing education and health facilities, and creating good citizens can't generate ant -national feelings in the people. If anything, I believe they generate a sense of loyalty towards the nation ...

(It is) not true that the ISI's cadre here is only from Muslims? ... Among the hitmen of those sitting in Dubai, Karachi or Kuala Lumpur there are as many Hindus as there are Muslims ... Terrorism does not recognise religion.

I don't subscribe. to the tendency to project a particular community as criminals and terrorists – Muslims as. criminals, - Christians as. anti-nationals ?... The implications are dangerous to the country. Whether terrorism is homegrown or exported from abroad ...

(The RSS/VHP/BD) have always been there and whether one likes it or not they are going to be there. They hold on to their conviction and belief. But in all these years it was not these organisations that were attacked and it was not the government of the day that was attacked ... Today the government is being attacked.

But the government is not involved in this and the attack is on it. And there is a method in that. It is to denigrate the government before the world and consequently, the whole country.

(Source: The Indian Currents, 23 July, 2000)