Guj MLA calls herself 'staunch Hindutvawadi', Dy CM Patel defends her

Asked about her statement by reporters, Deputy CM Patel, who was in Vadodara during the day, said, There should not be any problem if someone takes pride in his or her caste, faith, region or language. Similarly, we all take pride in being Gujarati. What is most important is that we all are proud of being Indians, he added.

Gujarat BJP MLA Seemaben Mohile on Friday said she was a ''kattar'' (staunch) votary of Hindutva, a remark which deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel defended.

Mohile, known as a soft-spoken leader who keeps a low profile, represents Akota in Vadodara.

In a short video shared on Twitter, she said in Hindi that ''I have no regrets in saying that I am a Ram bhakt and kattar Hindutvawadi''. Asked about her statement by reporters, Deputy CM Patel, who was in Vadodara during the day, said, ''There should not be any problem if someone takes pride in his or her caste, faith, region or language. For example, a Hindu would always be proud of being a Hindu. The same holds true for Muslims and Christians. Similarly, we all take pride in being Gujarati.'' What is most important is that we all are proud of being Indians, he added.