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Highlighting genuine criticism as the soul of democracy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said fake narratives with a hidden motive is an issue worth worrying about, an oblique reference to a massive smear campaign against him around the 2002 Godhra riots.
In an interview with US-based podcaster and AI researcher Lex Fridman, PM Modi talked about how people tried to malign his image after the riots but ultimately justice prevailed and courts cleared his name.
“There’s a big difference between allegations and criticism. For a strong democracy, genuine criticism is necessary. Allegations benefit no one, they just cause unnecessary conflicts. That’s why I always welcome criticism openly. And whenever false accusations arise, I calmly continue serving my country with complete dedication,” he said.
Earlier when Fridman mentioned that the media had criticised him over the 2002 Gujarat riots, PM Modi said the references he was giving were allegations, not criticism.
PM Modi said that a fake narrative was spread regarding the Godhra case. Before 2002, Gujarat had witnessed over 250 riots, and communal violence was frequent.
The Prime Minister also complained about a lack of genuine criticism which requires thorough study, in-depth research, careful analysis and demands finding the truth from falsehoods.
“Today, people look for shortcuts, avoid proper research and skip deep analysis. Instead of identifying genuine weaknesses, they jump straight to accusations,” he said.
Welcoming sharp and well-informed criticism, PM Modi said, “If democracy truly runs in your veins, you must embrace it. In our scriptures it’s said, always keep your critics close.”
Critics should be your nearest companions because, through genuine criticism, you can improve quickly, and work democratically with better insights, he said.
Highlighting the secret of his success, the PM emphasised that his government does not engage in vote-bank politics but follows the principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas.”
During the interview, he described the Godhra incident as a tragedy of ‘unimaginable magnitude’ in which people were burnt alive and equated the outrage over it to the global outcry after 9/11.
“That one tragic incident in 2002 became a sparking point, leading some people towards violence,” the PM said.
In response to a question on the riots, PM Modi said, “You can imagine, against the backdrop of incidents like the Kandahar hijacking, the attack on parliament, or even 9/11, and then to have so many people killed and burned alive, you can imagine how tense and volatile the situation was. Of course, this was tragic for everyone. Everyone prefers peace.”
Recalling the moment when the news of the Godhra incident came in, he said, “We were seated in the Assembly for the budget session. The same day, it had been just three days since I’d become a state representative when suddenly the horrific Godhra incident occurred. It was a tragedy of unimaginable magnitude, people were burned alive.”
Referring to the volatile situation leading to the communal flareup, PM Modi said, “Within just eight to 10 months, these major global terrorist attacks took place, violent incidents that led to bloodshed and the loss of innocent lives. In such a tense environment, even the smallest spark can ignite unrest. The situation had already become extremely volatile. In such times, suddenly, on October 7th, 2001, I was given the responsibility of becoming chief minister of Gujarat. This was an enormous challenge.”
