Voices

India Today, January 11, 1999
Jan 11, 1999

"I will quit politics if the Italian-born Congress president can differentiate between paddy and wheat, mustard and sugarcane in the fields."
Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab chief minister, at a public rally in Fatehgarh Sahib

"It may be impractical as we are not in a position to go to war with China. But self-respect requires that we keep on protesting."
Ram Jethmalani, Union urban affairs minister, on Indian territory illegally occupied by China

"Even if they so desire, we have reached a point where a divorce is not possible."
Bal Thackeray, Shiv Sena chief, on relations between his party and the BJP

"What have we got to do with the 21st century? Our history and tradition is much older than the intellectual giants in the West could ever imagine."
Murli Manohar Joshi, Union HRD minister, characterising all talks of entering the 21st century as a western concept

"We have absolutely no skeletons to hide. We aren't protecting anybody. Indeed, why should we?"
Raj Singh Dungarpur, BCCI president, saying that the board would welcome any probe by the Government on betting involving Indian cricketers

"Right from Marlon Brando to Aamir Khan, all of us have delivered a bad performance or two."
Anupam Kher, actor, in Filmfare