I do not go to temple, says Gadkari

"I don't go the temple. I don't perform puja," Gadkari said during an interaction at 'Goa Think Fest 2011' here.

The BJP president, however, defended his party's politics of Hindutva. "Hinduism is a way of life. It is not about a religion," he said, adding, "Political Hindutva is a debatable subject."

"We are a nationalist party. We have a lot of socio-economic thinking in our party," Gadkari said. Contending that media had projected a wrong image of BJP vis-a-vis Hindutva, Gadkari said the reality was different.
"Media keeps on labeling us. May be, we have not been able to reply to their allegations properly."

Swearing by his humble beginning in the politics, he said that he did not aspire to become the Prime Minister or even a Chief Minister.

To a question, he said he would not mind visiting Pakistan, if invited. "I hope for progress and development of Pakistan," he said, adding that if neighbouring countries like Bangladesh prospered, it would benefit India.

"I had once jokingly said to a friend that if Bangladesh prospers, at least all those Bangladeshis staying illegally here will go back," he said. Think Fest 2011, a three-day conclave, began in Goa today.