New Delhi | Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the discourse around the 2002 post-Godhra riots in Gujarat was an attempt to create a false narrative and his political opponents in power at the Centre wanted him to be punished but the courts cleared his name.
In a podcast with Lex Fridman, Modi said the perception that the 2002 riots were the biggest riots ever in Gujarat was an attempt to push misinformation.
"If you review the data from before 2002, you will see that Gujarat faced frequent riots. Curfews were constantly being imposed somewhere. Communal violence would erupt over trivial issues such as kite flying contests or even bicycle collisions," Modi said.
The prime minister said the riots in Gujarat in 1969 lasted for more than six months and that was an era when he was nowhere on the political horizon.
Modi said the Godhra train burning incident took place barely three days after he was elected as a legislator of the Gujarat Assembly.
"It was a tragedy of unimaginable magnitude, people were burned alive. 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," he said.
"Nothing should happen, we also wish so. Everyone would wish there should be peace," the prime minister said during the podcast released on Sunday.
Modi, who was the Gujarat chief minister at that time, said the big incident at Godhra was the sparking point and violence took place. He said that a fake narrative was spread regarding the Godhra case.
"But, the courts investigated the matter thoroughly and found us completely innocent. Those who were truly responsible have faced justice from the courts," he said.
The prime minister said his political opponents were in power at the Centre when the violence took place and they were keen to see him punished over the allegations.
"At that time, our political opponents were in power, and naturally they wanted all allegations against us to stick. They wanted to see us punished. Despite their relentless efforts, the judiciary analysed the situation meticulously twice and ultimately found us completely innocent," Modi said.
The prime minister said the most important thing was that Gujarat, which used to witness violence almost every year, has not seen riots since 2002.
"Over the past 22 years, there hasn't been a single major riot in Gujarat.
"Gujarat remains completely peaceful," Modi said.
The prime minister said his approach has always been to avoid vote bank politics.
"Our mantra has been, sabka saath sabka vikas aur sabka prayas. We have moved away from the politics of appeasement practised by our predecessors to the politics of aspiration," Modi said during his over three-hour interaction.
He highlighted how some people tried to malign his image after the riots but ultimately justice prevailed and the courts cleared his name.
New Delhi | Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised India's "neutral and independent" Election Commission and said that its management of the world's largest democratic exercise should be studied by the global community.
Speaking to podcaster Lex Fridman, Modi highlighted the massive scale of India's electoral process and emphasised its complexity and the high level of political engagement among citizens.
"In India, we have a neutral and independent Election Commission that conducts elections and takes all decisions. This in itself is such a big bright story that major universities around the world should conduct case studies on its management," Modi said.
He said that the global community should analyse how India's electoral system functions, given the scale and political awareness involved.
Fridman noted that elections in India bring out many interesting facets and asked if there was any such story that Modi found particularly impactful.
Referring to the 2024 general election, Modi pointed out that there were 980 million registered voters -- more than double the population of North America and greater than the combined population of the European Union.
"Out of 980 million registered voters, 646 million stepped out of their homes to vote, even in the extreme heat of May when temperatures in some places reached 40 degrees Celsius," the prime minister said in the podcast released on Sunday.
Modi highlighted the logistical scale of India's elections, mentioning that over 1 million polling booths were set up across the country and more than 2,500 political parties participated.
He also noted the role of media in strengthening democracy, with over 900 TV channels and 5,000 newspapers contributing to the process.
"Our country's poorest citizens have quickly adapted to technology, voting through electronic voting machines and we are able to declare results within a day," Modi said.
He underscored India's commitment to strengthening democracy through continuous efforts to improve voter participation and electoral transparency.
New Delhi | Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he is not a cricket expert but results show which is a better team between India and Pakistan, in an apparent reference to India's dominant performance against the arch-rival in recent years.
In football, he called the legendary Diego Maradona a "true hero" of his time, and reminisced about his visit to Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh where he witnessed a deep love for the game among residents who called their region a 'mini Brazil'.
"If we talk about the past, back in 1980s one name that always stood out was Maradona. For that generation, he was seen as a true hero. And if you ask today's generation, they will immediately say (Lionel) Messi," he told podcaster Lex Fridman when asked to pick his favourite football player of all time.
On the better cricket team between India and Pakistan, PM Modi responded with a touch of humour and said he wasn't an expert but suggested recent results could provide an answer.
India defeated Pakistan decisively in a Champions Trophy match last month, the latest in the series of victories against the neighbours.
PM Modi also reflected on Maradona's profound influence on global football and called him a player who "electrified" the sport with his creativity and flair.
Recalling his visit to Shahdol, Modi said he saw about 80 to 100 people, including children and older youths, in their sports gear.
"I asked them where they were from, and they said they were from 'Mini Brazil.' When I asked what 'Mini Brazil' meant, they told me that every family in their village has been playing football for four generations, and nearly 80 national players have emerged from their village. Their annual football match attracts around 20,000 to 25,000 spectators from nearby areas," he said.
The prime minister expressed admiration for the strong football culture in the area and said such passion holds the potential to inspire future generations and drive the sport's growth in the country.
He especially praised India's women's football team and said the men's team are also doing well.
