GUJARAT
chief minister Narendra Modi appears to be working overtime to remove the single
most significant obstacle in front of his national ambitions — the taint of the
2002 riots.
A far
cry from his status as the Hindu Hriday Samrat, Modi has made his most
vociferous overture to the Muslim community by giving his first ever interview
to an Urdu daily, Nai Duniya.
Equally
significant is the fact that the interview was conducted by Samajwadi Party
general secretary Shahid Siddiqui, who is the editor of Nai Duniya . Siddiqui’s
poser to Modi: “ Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh have apologised
for the 1984 riots so why don’t you apologise as well?” brought the Gujarat CM
to his rhetorical best.
“ There
is no question of apologising because if I have committed this crime, then I
should not be forgiven.
I should
be hanged. I should be hanged in such a way that people learn the lesson that
nothing like this should happen,” he said.
“
However, if am proven innocent, all those who have maligned me need to
apologise,” he added.
Modi
also defended his own performance as the CM during the riots. “ Those who say
we brought the bodies ( of those killed in the Godhra carnage) to Ahmedabad to
provoke people are wrong. The bodies were taken to a hospital in Sola on the
outskirts of Ahmedabad to avoid any tensions,” he asserted.
He
further asserted that his government imposed a curfew and issued shoot- at-
sight orders.
Though
Modi claimed repeatedly throughout the interview that he didn’t view citizens
through the prism of religion, much of what he said was evidently targeted at
the Muslim community.
He urged
the Muslims to, “ not to remain just a vote”. “ We want to see them ( Muslims)
as full- fledged human beings. They should have their own dreams and
aspirations. Fulfil your own dreams and those of your children,” he said.
Though
Modi was unusually restrained in attacking the Congress, he didn’t spare his
bête noire Shankersinh Vaghela, who he believes is the epitome of
pseudosecularism.
“ Where
was he when Babri Masjid was demolished? He was in Ayodha at that very site.”
The Congress was quick in its retort to Modi’s statements.
“ Before
saying hang me, Modi should at least permit his administration to register an
FIR against him,” said Union HRD minister Kapil Sibal.
Modi’s
views didn’t cut much ice even with his interviewer.
“ I
don’t think his words were sincere at all. He’s trying to ride two horses —
secularism and Hindutva — and he’ll fall on his face,” Siddiqui said.
However,
despite his criticism of Modi, Siddiqui is facing flak for providing space to
the controversial Gujarat chief minister.
Activist
and known Modi- baiter Teesta Setalvad virtually termed the Nai Duniya
interview as a public relations exercise for Modi.
“ Shahid
Siddiqui has played into Modi’s hands with this interview. He ( Siddiqui) is a
politician who has constantly switched parties. This interview was nothing but
a means for both of them,” Setalvad said.
“ I have
been a vocal critic of Modi and will always be. The interview doesn’t change my
editorial choices,” Siddiqui said.
