Author:
Publication: Rediff on Net
Date: August 27, 2002
URL: http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/aug/27inter.htm
As the Supreme Court begins hearing
the Presidential reference on the Election Commission's controversial order
on the Gujarat assembly election, state Chief Minister Narendra Modi is
once again in the eye of the storm because of his remarks against Chief
Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh.
Modi criticised the CEC for rejecting
the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's demand for an early election, and hinted
at Lyngdoh's Christian background as a factor influencing his decision.
Six months after the Godhra incident,
a confident Modi tells Senior Editor Sheela Bhatt that postponing the election
will not prevent his party's return to power.
Q.: Mr Modi, it is absolutely clear
the investigations into the riot cases are not being done properly. You
are hurling figures of arrests made by the police at us but it is of no
use when the real culprits of the Naroda Patia, Gulmurg society, Randhikpur
and Limadia Chawkdi cases are not arrested.
A.: It would be better if you compare
the event of Gujarat and other past events of violence in the country.
Compare the events, follow-up investigations, its modus operandi, number
of arrests and the chargesheets. Take 25 such cases. After doing a comparison
if you think we are deliberately doing something wrong then expose us.
Q.: In former Congress MP Ehsan
Jafri's murder the chargesheet says he fired on the crowd and two people
died. Which, in turn, provoked the mob to set him and others on fire. How
can the police interpret an event like this?
A.: Can't you wait? The case will
be heard by the courts, right? In this country we do have a justice system.
In this country you buy an argument when someone claims that just because
a few karsevaks didn't pay the money for the tea they bought, it led to
the torching of the # S6 compartment. This is possible and you consider
it valid. But when the police investigates the case and puts forward the
case, you consider it invalid. Don't you have a biased mind?
All over the world you circulate
the e-mail narrating a fictitious event which claims a girl was abducted
on the platform, she was raped and that lead to the torching of S6. You
can show that within just three minutes all this is possible. For people
like you the question should be: Whom do you trust? Now the matter is with
the judiciary and an inquiry commission. How long will you continue with
a media trial?
I have allowed the media to behave
as it wants. The West believes in [Nazi propaganda minister Josef] Goebbels.
Speak a lie 100 times and it will become a truth. I am brought up in a
civilisation where Satyameva Jayate [Truth always prevails] is taught.
I am not worried. The truth will certainly be known.
Q.: Socio-political analyst Ashis
Nandy met you almost a decade ago. After the meeting he called you a 'textbook
fascist.' Many people in the country find your body language quite offensive.
The way you ridiculed Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh at a public
meeting in Bodeli proves that point.
A.: In the presence of one lakh
people I gave a speech. It is on tape. I haven't leveled any allegation
against him.
Q.: How can you ask a constitutional
authority if he is born in Italy or not?
A.: I haven't said it. Hear my
speech properly. I quoted people and journalists. They asked me if he is
born in Italy. I told them "I don't know." I just narrated that incident
in my speech.
Q.: Isn't this divisive politics?
Where do you want to lead this country?
A.: As far as the BJP is concerned,
our belief has been the same for years. Justice to all, appeasement of
none. We cannot support divisive politics. We strongly believe in President
A P J Abdul Kalam when he says we need 'unity of minds.' People who played
the politics of appeasement have ruined the country, not us. Blame them.
Q.: Do you think whenever the Gujarat
election is held, it will be a very crucial election?
A.: No. I don't believe so. Every
election is made out to be a crucial election as if it is a question of
life or death. In my life I don't consider any event as the last event.
I always believe there is no full stop in life.
Q.: The election is delayed, so
you will have to wait.
A.: Whenever the election is held,
it is no issue with me. It is not an issue to worry about. Let the election
come today, in November, let it come in January 2013. The BJP's win in
Gujarat is unstoppable.
Q.: You should ask people to be
remorseful for what happened in Gujarat; instead you talk about the pride
of Gujarat.
A.: I have always criticised violence
in my speeches but the way the trouble in just two per cent of the area
is blown up and used against us should be countered. Arundhati Roy paints
Gujaratis as rapists and then goes scot-free by apologising. Isn't it an
insult to Gujarat?
Q.: What do you make of Shankarsinh
Vaghela leading the Congress?
A.: A sinking Congress is banking
on a straw. The Congress had no leadership of its own so they have given
its top post to a [former] BJP man.
Q.: Do you see a Hindutva wave in
Gujarat?
A.: Gujaratis have decided to teach
a lesson to the merchants of death. They will not allow Gujarat to be taken
over by them. Gujarat is a border state and we can't allow the weakening
of our security.
Q.: Will this election be fought
on a Hindutva versus casteist card?
A.: In Gujarat, the poison of casteism
was injected in the name of the KHAM [Kshatriyas, Harijans, Adivasis and
Muslims] theory. Gujaratis rejected it and turned towards the unity of
society. Casteist forces have been rejected in Gujarat, the people's mood
is anti-casteist.
Q.: What is the economic scenario
in the state after the riots?
A.: After Godhra we received Rs
8,000 crore worth direct foreign investment. General Motors, Shell, British
Gas Company...
Q.: People who know you well claim
you are not really a believer of Hindutva.
A.: We have been taught cultural
nationalism. We don't distinguish between Hindu rashtra and Bharat rashtra.
I believe no Hindu can be anti-secular. I am secular. We believe God is
one, there are different roads that lead to him. But you are not interested
in debating Hindutva. Your reference point while talking about Hindutva
is communal violence or Imam Bukhari.
Q.: The Gujarat riots have damaged
our stand on coercive diplomacy.
A.: Absolutely wrong. It has strengthened
our stand. What happened in Godhra supports our contention how innocents
are being killed ruthlessly. Gujarat has helped India convince the world
community how terrorism is damaging us.
Q.: I am talking about the riots
that followed.
A.: I told you that no civil society
can accept this. The innocent Sikh was murdered after 9/11. Why? Because
he looked like the terrorists. If the educated in America can get provoked,
why use a different yardstick to evaluate Gujaratis?
