What's communal about my Pak remark? I stand by it, says Amit Shah

BJP president Amit Shah speaks to Times Now editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami on the eve of the penultimate phase of the all-important Bihar elections, and justifies his comment that there will be fireworks in Pakistan if BJP loses. Excerpts:
How important are these elections for you?
It's important for the country that BJP wins. Till the time UP, Bihar and West Bengal don't get better facilities, India cannot achieve double digit growth rate.I believe Bihar elections will not only decide Bihar's fate but the fact that Bihar's population has chosen to walk on the path of development will send a strong message to other states in the country. This will also help in laying the foundation of "politics of performance".
The alliance has a vote share of about 45% and your vote share is about 35%. Don't you feel this is a challenge considering the index of opposition unit is high?
The fact that the opposition is united is not a matter of concern for us. In fact, it's a matter of great pleasure. Our strength has forced the opposition to unite. Else, why would Lalu and Nitish, who have spent 20 years as political rivals, come together? They have come together because BJP is a strong party. There was a time when it was Congress vs All, but today it is BJP vs All. This is a great political achievement for my party .
Is BJP vs All really good for you?
Which world are you living in Arnabji? Are people tied to political parties? Will they not evaluate performances? Will they not evaluate performances of BJP governments? I believe the way you think is not right. The BJP has repeatedly received a mandate from people because of its good performance in various states. I would like to give you the examples of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. All three states were known to be 'Bimaru'. It was the BJP that got these states out of their 'Bimaru' status.
What's your analysis of the grand alliance ­ their biggest weakness and strength?
The alliance itself is their weakness. Their strength is only on paper. Voters associate themselves to a party and its leader's strength. The minute a party and its leader changes its stand, it impacts on the voter. The voter then reflects on his decision to further associate with the party. I can see it very clearly that the people of Bihar have decided.
You've been accused of communalising these elections saying if BJP loses in Bihar, it will invite fireworks in Pakistan.
What is the communal element in this?
What has Pakistan got to do with Bihar elections?
What I meant was that if the BJP loses elections here, it's natural for anti-national forces to rejoice. This is what I have said. What's communal in this? I did not incite any religion
The grand alliance plans to go to the EC over this.
Every citizen has the right. They have already gone, I believe.
If it wasn't about religion, why was there a reference to Pakistan?
My reference was to anti-national forces. There was no attempt to communalise it. I stand by my comments.
Your complaint is that Lalu and Nitish have been making provocative and personal comments against BJP leaders to communally polarise the situation in Bihar. Statements of Lalu against Amit Shah, that the man eater has become mad. And calling the PM 'Brahma Pisach' ­ highly condemnable. Do you really believe they are trying to violate the election code of conduct?
I believe he shouldn't have used such words.
Sushil Modi says Nitish is giving shelter to terrorists. This is a very big allegation. No matter how polarised the elections get, on what basis are such allegations levied?
I was watching this on television. A big terrorist was surrendering. There were talks about the approach of Bihar police. But I don't know what Sushil was referring to.
He said that both Lalu and Nitish are giving shelter to terrorists... for the sake of vote-bank. He did not take strict action at the time of the arrest of Indian Mujahideen Yasin Bhatkal.
Isn't this an issue? Shouldn't terrorism be an issue during elections? What kind of elections do you want? Don't people have the right to know what stands do parties have on terrorism? It's in fact the most relevant issue.
But people thought that the most relevant issue would be development.
So that is also being spoken about, all the MPs are saying it, you are not asking the question: so what happened to Modiji's package? Who is the package for? That will not come in your question list? I agree with what Sushil Modi has said: it should be brought in front of the Bihar public, that what is the stand of the all the parties regarding terrorism? What is their approach? What is the government's approach?
You said there's an attempt to take quota away from Dalits and OBCs and give it to members of the minority community. Is there one place that Nitish and Lalu have commented like this?
Let me explain it to you, the status of reservation in the country, in that the Supreme Court has given an upper limit, of 50%. No one can cross that upper limit.Laluji has said this in his announcement letter, that minority should be given reservation, and Nitish said in 2005 in his Parliament speech that backward Muslim should be given reservation.
Ten years ago?
Ten years ago, please listen to me, please fully listen to what I am saying. Now if there is 50% limit, it has been distributed among all the backward and EBCs. If after what these politicians (Nitish, Lalu) have said, we give reservations according to them, then where will it come from? It will come from cutting someone else's share.You can't go above 50%, a constitutional body has taken a decision on the matter: the Supreme Court. And there is no law above that.
Then there is a video released which shows Nitish meeting a sadhu. What's the relevance of Nitish meeting a tantrik, or an astrologer, or a palmist?
We didn't release the video clip. (But) If an incident comes to light, it must be in public knowledge. Let the relevance be decided by the public.