PM Modi has no bias against Muslims, wants to win them over: Najeeb Jung

Former Delhi Lt Gov wants courts to remove 'retrograde' triple talaq, if Parliament doesn't

Prime Minister Narendra Modi isn't biased against the Muslims, and wants to win them over, but does know who will do the talking, former Lt Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung has said.

"The PM has no bias against the Muslims. During my interactions with him I found that he is concerned about winning them over but does not know who will talk to them," Jung told India Today TV in an interview.

Noting the onus lay with the Muslims, Jung said the community has failed to produce a leader in the past 40 years. "People like Bahuguna (former UP CM) and Mulayam (SP chief) are not the leaders," he said.

Clarifying on his sudden resignation, Jung said he discussed resigning as Delhi L-G with PM Modi three times since the BJP came to power, but the premier agreed only the last time.

Jung, who often faced allegations from Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal of playing to the Centre's tunes, further said he had a smooth tenure of two and half years under the Modi government and never once did the PM or any other union minister ask or advise him to act against the Delhi government.

According to Jung neither PM's key aides Nripendra Mishra, NSA Ajit Doval, finance minister Arun Jaitley or home minister Rajnath Singh had asked or advised him to act against the interests of Delhi government.

Playing down his troubled relationship with Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who alleged Jung acted like centre's stooge, the former LG described the AAP leader as a young man in a hurry to reform.

"It was excitement to do things at a pace. He did not realize that government has its own pace," said Jung.

According to Jung in the period that he worked with Kejriwal as CM, he never took a step to antagonize the Delhi government.

In comparison, Jung said he found working with Congress leader and former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit pleasant.

"She would come to see me every Wednesday morning. We would have coffee together. If there were doubts over some files, we would resolve them over coffee," said Jung.

Jung recalled that he had suggested Kejriwal to follow Dikshit's practice which he did for some weeks and then stopped.

However, Jung said he had a cordial relationship with Kejriwal though the AAP leaders poke about him in public acrimoniously.

"I visited his house. He came to my house. I told him privately I had no pressure but he did not believe," said Jung adding, "he would apprise of his political views but in public he spoke acrimoniously. That would be true of any politician."

Jung said that based on the recommendations of the Shunglu committee appointed by him, the former Lt Gov had asked for several files decided unconstitutionally by the Delhi CM and the cabinet and later sent several of the decisions taken by Kejriwal to the CBI, which has registered an FIR.

These included appointment of Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain's daughter Neha to design mohalla clinics, appointment of Kejriwal's relative Dr Nikunj Aggarwal as resident doctor in a state funded hospital, appointment of chairman Delhi Waqf Board who leased out properties and hired personnel.

The worst, he said, was the setting up of a secret surveillance unit which would report only to Kejriwal, which was alarming and totally unconstitutional while violated the citizen's right to privacy.

"No state government can put up a counter intelligence unit like this," he said.

The former Lt Gov said if the probe in these FIRs against Delhi CM come to fruition, it could spell problem for Kejriwal.

Jung suggested abrogation of the practice of triple talaq prevalent among the Muslims terming it as retrograde. If Parliament does not have courage to do so, he said the courts should step in.

On the Uniform Civil Code, he said the matter should be left to the community leaders to forge a consensus.

Rejecting the full statehood for Delhi demand of Kejriwal Jung said that it should remain a union territory under the central government.