Ahmedabad, July 12, 2013: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has described himself as a "Hindu nationalist" because he was born as a Hindu.

"I am nationalist. I'm patriotic. Nothing is wrong. I am born Hindu. Nothing is wrong. So I'm a Hindu nationalist. So yes, you can say I'm a Hindu nationalist because I'm a born Hindu," he told Reuters news agency in an interview in his official residence in Gandhinagar.

The Gujarat strongman was asked as to who was the "real Modi" – Hindu nationalist or a pro-business chief minister?

"As far as progressive, development, workaholic, whatever they say, this is what they are saying. So there's no contradiction between the two. It's one and the same image," he said.

Source: India News, DT. July 12, 2013.