BeyondHeadlines News Desk
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s “puppy” and “Hindu nationalist” remarks made during an interview with Reuters have raised a storm in Indian political circle, and invited criticism from civil society.
Mr. Modi had said that he had done “absolutely the right thing” during the 2002 riots and that even if a “puppy comes under the wheel of a car, one felt sad”.
Reacting to Modi’s comments, Congress General Secretary Ajay Maken said such comparison is condemnable and asked for his apology to the nation.
Congress leader Digvijay Singh said on Twitter, “Shouldn’t we all be Nationalist Indians rather than Hindu Nationalist or Muslim Nationalist or Sikh Nationalist or Christian Nationalist?”
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) National Secretary Engg. Mohammad Salim tweeted that “Justice for 2002 victims would mean Happy Ramazan, when all responsible including CM get proper punishment.”
While condemning Modi’s comments about 2002 pogrom, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has demanded his apology forthwith.
A. Sayeed, National President of SDPI, said that Modi’s “puppy” analogy in reference to 2002 pogrom is very deplorable and shows his pervert mentality.
Andhra Pradesh President of Welfare Party of India (WPI), Malik Motasim Khan expressed his deep concern over Modi’s comments and called it “uncivilized”.
He stressed that Modi’s words and deeds related to Gujarat 2002 pogrom are “uncivilized” and unacceptable in a democracy.
However, BRJ’s oldest ideological ally Shiv Sena came out in support of Modi expressing their belief that India’s leadership should be in the hands of a Hindutva leader.
Taking a dig at the interview itself, Secretary of Citizens for Justice and Peace, Teesta Setalvad stated, “The Reuters interview is not a dispassionate or thorough exercise that attempts to genuinely probe opinions and views. It is a sensational tokenism.”
