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Journalism of Courage
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a conversation with podcaster Lex Fridman, sought to challenge what he termed as the “misinformation” surrounding the 2002 Gujarat riots, asserting that the state had witnessed frequent communal violence for decades before the tragic events of that year.
Reflecting on the volatile environment leading up to the riots, PM Modi, during the three-hour podcast, pointed to a series of global and domestic terror incidents, including the Kandahar hijacking in 1999, the 9/11 attacks in the US, and the December 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament. According to him, these incidents had created a highly charged atmosphere, making Gujarat especially vulnerable to unrest when the Godhra train burning occurred on February 27, 2002.
“It was a tragedy of unimaginable magnitude. People were burned alive. Against the backdrop of incidents like Kandahar, 9/11, and the Parliament attack, you can imagine how tense and volatile the situation was,” he said.
Dismissing the claim that the 2002 violence was the worst in Gujarat’s history, PM Modi highlighted past communal clashes that had rocked the state.
“The perception that these were the biggest riots ever is misinformation. Before 2002, Gujarat faced over 250 riots, with communal violence erupting over trivial issues like kite flying or bicycle collisions. The 1969 riots, for example, lasted nearly six months,” he said.
He further stated that while the 2002 riots were undeniably tragic, they were not an isolated occurrence but part of a larger history of communal strife in the state.
https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1901250031086076124
Addressing allegations of his government’s involvement in the riots, Modi asserted that repeated judicial scrutiny had cleared him of any wrongdoing.
“The judiciary thoroughly investigated the matter, and despite our political opponents being in power (at the Centre), they couldn’t make the allegations against us stick. The courts examined the situation twice and found us completely innocent. Those truly responsible have faced justice,” he stated.
The Prime Minister also highlighted that Gujarat has not witnessed any major riots in the last 22 years, attributing this to his administration’s focus on development rather than divisive politics.
Commenting on the BJP rule in the state, PM Modi said they have shifted away from politics of appeasement to politics of contribution.
“Our approach has always been to avoid vote-bank politics. We have shifted away from politics of appeasement to politics of contribution. Today, Gujarat remains completely peaceful and is actively contributing to the vision of a developed India,” he said.
The February 2002 Gujarat riots followed the burning of the Sabarmati Express in Godhra, which killed 59 Hindu karsevaks, triggering riots. The riots started on the evening of February 2 and continued for 2-3 months across the state. The Centre in 2005 informed the Rajya Sabha that the riots claimed the lives of 254 Hindus and 790 Muslims. A total 223 people were reported missing. Tens of thousands were left homeless as well.
Courts have since convicted multiple individuals in connection with the train burning, with the Supreme Court upholding the Gujarat High Court’s verdicts on the case.
In the 2002 Gujarat riots case, the Supreme Court in June 2022, had dismissed a plea filed by late Zakia Jafri, challenging a clean chit given by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to Modi and several others.
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