Sultanpur:  On Wednesday, Union minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Maneka Gandhi said that she “feels bad” when people openly say they would not vote for her or ‘lotus’, the BJP’s party symbol. She stressed that her remarks have been taken out of context and that she does not give importance to caste and religion while working. However, she did ask Muslims last month to vote for her as they would need her once the Lok Sabha elections are over.

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“Wherever I have gone, I have thought of all religions and castes. When we work, we work for all and then nobody is concerned about Kamal (lotus), but when it comes to casting your vote and people say they will not vote for me because they don’t want to vote for Kamal, it feels very bad,” news agency PTI quoted her as saying.

The Election Commission of India banned Gandhi from campaigning for 48 hours last month for her remarks. “It was completely out of context... You have heard my speeches,” she added. When asked why her seats were swapped with son Varun, she said it was the party’s choice.

Maneka had drawn ire of Muslim communities last month for her reckless remark. “This is important. I am winning. I am winning because of the support and love of people. But if my victory is without Muslims, I won’t feel that good. Then, dil khatta ho jayega. Then when a Muslim comes to me for work, I think let it be, how does it matter. It's all give and take, isn’'t it? We aren’t all sons of Mahatma Gandhi, are we? It’s not that we keep on giving and then lose in the election. This victory will happen with or without you. And you have to spread the word on this,” she had told a public gathering last month.

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