PM Modi Podcast with Lex Fridman: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke openly about the 2002 Gujarat riots in a rare interview with AI researcher and famous American podcaster Lex Fridman on Sunday (16 March). Fridman admitted that the Supreme Court of India had freed PM Modi from any kind of involvement in violence twice. But he asked how PM Modi looks at that period. Talking about the 2002 riots, PM Modi said that on 27 February 2002, my government was going to present the budget, when we got information about the Godhra train accident.
PM Modi said that this was a very serious incident. People were burnt alive. The Prime Minister said that you can imagine how the situation must have been after all previous events. Prior to 2002, there were more than 250 big riots in the state. In response to a question, Prime Minister Modi said, “I want to show you a clear picture of 12 to 15 months before that time. So that you can fully understand the atmosphere of that time.”
He said in the interview, “Before you talk about the 2002 riots, I would like to present a picture of previous years to give you a proper estimate of the situation. On 24 December 1999, the aircraft from Kathmandu to Delhi was hijacked and taken to Kandahar.”
The Prime Minister further said, “A terrorist attack on the Red Fort in Delhi in 2000 took place. On 11 September 2001, there was a terrorist attack on twin towers in America. In October 2001, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly took place. There was a terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament on 13 December 2001. These were global level terrorist attacks, who lashed out at the spark of global instability. In the midst of all this, I was to become the Chief Minister of Global Volasties. On 7 October 2001, I was the first Chief 2001. Become an MLA. On February 27, my government was about to present the budget, when we got information about the Godhra train accident. “
‘There were more than 250 big riots in Gujarat before 2002’
He further said in the podcast, “This was a very serious incident. People were burnt alive. You can imagine how the situation must have been after all the previous events. There were more than 250 big riots in Gujarat before 2002. The riots of 1969 were lasted for 6 months. At that time the opposition was in power, and they tried their best to punish us in these false cases. The accused have been punished in Gujarat before 2002, but there was no major incident after 2002. “
The Prime Minister emphasized that his government does not do vote bank politics but runs on the principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Everyone’s faith, everyone’s effort”. He also highlighted the fact that after the riots people tried to tarnish his image. But justice won and the courts called him innocent.