"It`s a wrong interpretation of the Hindutva issue. Arun Jaitley is a committed leader and such words (`opportunistic issues`) will never come from his mouth," Gadkari told a news conference here.
Replying to the cable quoting Jaitely as allegedly telling a US diplomat that Hindu nationalism was an `opportunistic issue` of the BJP, he said "I spoke to Arunji and he denied having said it."
Asked whether it was not double standards in the face of BJP taking on the Congress based on Wikileaks, he said the cables on Congress had revealed the names of MPs who had been bribed in connection with the 2008 confidence vote while Jaitley`s was a case of wrong interpretation.
Asked for his reaction on Wikileaks accusing certain JMM MPs of being allegedly involved in cash-for-vote row, a party with which BJP shares power in Jharkhand, Gadkari said "Anybody getting involved in such offence is guilty. Congress is guilty in the cash-for-vote issue. And going by your (media) question, the Congress has no right to be in the government at the Centre."
"I firmly believe that Congress has always put pressure on Opposition leaders by alluring them with money or using CBI to exert pressure on them disgracing democratic values," he added.