Modi kicks up political storm over 2002 riots

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi kicked up a political storm on Friday by saying he had done "absolutely the right thing" during the 2002 riots and describing himself as a "Hindu nationalist". Modi came under sharp attack from the Congress, Samajwadi Party, CPI(M), CPI and JD(U) for his remarks in an interview to Reuters during which he said he had not done anything wrong with regard to the riots. An SIT set up by the Supreme Court had given him a "thoroughly clean chit", he said. The Gujarat strongman's comment, when asked if he regretted the riots, that even if a "puppy comes under the wheel" of a car, one felt sad, drew particularly sharp condemnation with SP accusing him of comparing Muslims to dogs. Congress and Samajwadi Party demanded immediate apology to the nation from Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's comments on 2002 riots. Slamming him, Congress said the remarks reflected his "perverse mindset and were totally against the idea of India. Thousands of people lost their lives in the 2002 riots and in this backdrop the analogy used by Narendra Modi needs to be strongly condemned. There is no place for such a comparison in civilised India," said Ajay Maken, AICC Communications Department head, in a reference to the 'puppy' remark. In the rare interview, the first since he was appointed the chief of BJP election campaign committee in June, Modi was asked if it was frustrating when many people define him by 2002. He responded by saying that he would feel guilty if he had done something wrong. "Frustration comes when you think 'I got caught. I was stealing and I got caught.' That's not my case."

Uproar over Modi's remarks "I am nationalist. I'm patriotic. Nothing is wrong. I am born Hindu. Nothing is wrong. So I'm a Hindu nationalist�(talking of 2002 riots) any person if we are driving a car, we are a driver, and someone else is driving a car and we're sitting behind, even then if a puppy comes under the wheel, will be painful or not? Of course, it is. If I'm a chief minister or not, I'm a human being. If something bad happens anywhere, it is natural to be sad," he said in an interview to a news agency

• Parties slam him as insensitive over his puppy analogy on 2002 riots
• BJP retorts, "It is despicable to say that Modi compared a community to dogs"

New Delhi (PTI): A political uproar erupted on Friday certain comments by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on 2002 riots, with many parties like Samajwadi Party, CPI(M), CPI and JD(U) saying he had compared Muslims to a 'puppy' and should apologise for the "humiliating" remarks. BJP, which was put on the backfoot by the comments, insisted that Modi's remarks had been "misinterpreted" with an aim of "appeasing a particular community". External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Friday took a dig at Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for describing himself as "Hindu nationalist", saying it is an oxymoron. He also said the BJP strongman was gradually becoming his "own worst enemy". Reacting to Modi's controversial remarks during an interview in which he said that he had done "absolutely the right thing" during the 2002 riots and described himself as a "Hindu nationalist", Khurshid said, "Religion can't have nation. Religion has no identity. Nation has an identity. Nationalism falls in a different category than religion." On Modi's remarks on riots that even if a "puppy comes under the wheels" of a car, one felt sad, Khurshid said "what is important is what do you think of your driver and what action you have taken and whether you have taken the responsibility". Samajwadi Party spokesman Kamal Farooqui took strong exception to Modi's ' puppy' comment, and said:?"It is a very sad, very humiliating and very disturbing statement... What does he (Modi) think, that muslims are worse than even puppies? He does not have a heart for them. He should feel sorry... He should apologise," Farooqui said. "He (Modi) should be ashamed for using such a language," the SP leader said, adding, "the earlier he apologises, the better it will be. Otherwise, there will be dangerous consequences." Attacking the Gujarat Chief Minister, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat said, "the expression of regret just doesn't come to Modi....There is something wrong fundamentally what he is saying." She said Modi "has been justifying that genocide in different ways. Whether it is a genocide, whether it is a cold-blooded murder, whether it is in the name of encounter, whether it is hushing up those cases and trying to promote those who were involved in it from beginning to end....It is a governance that has in it certain components which are against the Constitution of India and against basic human principles." CPI leader D Raja described Modi's comments as "desperate attempt to deceive people and hoodwink the Indian masses." Senior CPI leader A B Bardhan said Modi cannot absolve himself of his responsibility as he was at the helm of affairs when the Gujarat riots took place. "Modi was the Chief Minister of the State when riots took place. If this is how the Chief Ministers talk about their responsibilities, they are playing tricks with the people. They don't assume responsibility when the law and order breaks down. This cannot absolve him of the responsibility."On the the puppy analogy, Bardhan wondered whether he was an innocent passenger in the car and that whether he did not know who was driving it. SP Leader Naresh Agrawal said, "It is very clear who the culprit is. Anyone who is the culprit and which ever position he is occupying should be punished." Sitharaman, BJP spokesperson, said: "It is despicable to say that Modi compared a community to dogs. It's absolutely unfortunate and I only wish that much before more comments are made and interpretations are made, people should read the interview and in what context it was made. This is a complete misinterpretation leading to unwanted breaking up of a controversy which doesn't exist. I appeal to all to read the interview fully and understand it before getting your retorts ready."