Hang me if I am guilty in Gujarat riots: Modi
In an interview, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said he was ready to be hanged if found guilty in the 2002 Gujarat riots.
NEW DELHI: In an interview to an Urdu newspaper, Nai Duniya, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said he was ready to be hanged if found guilty in the 2002 Gujarat riots.
The newspaper is edited by Shahid Siddiqui, an MP of the Samajwadi Party. Siddiqui in the interview asked Modi why can he not apologise if Sonia and Rajeev Gandhi can apologise to the nation for the Gujarat riots; to this Modi replied if he committed the crimes, then he should not be forgiven and be hanged.
Congress flays Modi
Congress ministers slammed Narendra Modi for his remarks, terming it 'highly reprehensible and irresponsible'.
Union Corporate Affairs Minister M. Veerappa Moily, reacting to Modi's remark, said it was for the judiciary to decide on the guilty and take appropriate steps to punish them.
Asked if Modi's remark was aimed at appeasing the minorities, Moily said: "I don't know whether it is to appease minorities. But I think it is highly reprehensible and irresponsible".
Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid, taking a dig at Modi, said if the Gujarat chief minister was aiming to change his image with such a remark, it would be better to change his behaviour and role instead.
Khurshid told reporters: "I don't think we believe in kangaroo justice. Whatever the law is in the country will prevail. The courts will decide. The agencies that are working for the courts will have to decide, place the material before the court, and the court will take a decision."
"I don't think that we either in the streets can decide or that Modi can take a decision by himself," he said.
"We all have faith in the courts of the land and we will wait for the courts to say what they believe is the right thing to do," he said.
Asked if Modi's remark was aimed at a pro-minority image, Khurshid said: "If he wants to improve his image, let him. But I feel he should change his behaviour and his role (kirdar). That will be the best. Changing image will not help."
Modi, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, has been accused of giving tacit support to the riots in which more than 1,000 Muslims were killed following the Feb 27, 2002, Godhra train burning incident in which 57 'kar sewaks' returning from Ayodhya were burnt alive.
BJP defends Modi
The BJP accused the Congress-led central government of conspiring against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Reacting to Modi's interview, former BJP president Rajanth Singh said: "He has not been proven guilty. None of the courts has found him guilty. Even after 10 years, they have not been able to prove anything."
"This is an organised conspiracy by the central government to malign the Gujarat chief minister and the Gujarat government. They are trying to bring a bad name to a model government," he said.
The newspaper is edited by Shahid Siddiqui, an MP of the Samajwadi Party. Siddiqui in the interview asked Modi why can he not apologise if Sonia and Rajeev Gandhi can apologise to the nation for the Gujarat riots; to this Modi replied if he committed the crimes, then he should not be forgiven and be hanged.
Congress flays Modi
Congress ministers slammed Narendra Modi for his remarks, terming it 'highly reprehensible and irresponsible'.
Union Corporate Affairs Minister M. Veerappa Moily, reacting to Modi's remark, said it was for the judiciary to decide on the guilty and take appropriate steps to punish them.
Asked if Modi's remark was aimed at appeasing the minorities, Moily said: "I don't know whether it is to appease minorities. But I think it is highly reprehensible and irresponsible".
Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid, taking a dig at Modi, said if the Gujarat chief minister was aiming to change his image with such a remark, it would be better to change his behaviour and role instead.
Khurshid told reporters: "I don't think we believe in kangaroo justice. Whatever the law is in the country will prevail. The courts will decide. The agencies that are working for the courts will have to decide, place the material before the court, and the court will take a decision."
"I don't think that we either in the streets can decide or that Modi can take a decision by himself," he said.
"We all have faith in the courts of the land and we will wait for the courts to say what they believe is the right thing to do," he said.
Asked if Modi's remark was aimed at a pro-minority image, Khurshid said: "If he wants to improve his image, let him. But I feel he should change his behaviour and his role (kirdar). That will be the best. Changing image will not help."
Modi, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, has been accused of giving tacit support to the riots in which more than 1,000 Muslims were killed following the Feb 27, 2002, Godhra train burning incident in which 57 'kar sewaks' returning from Ayodhya were burnt alive.
BJP defends Modi
The BJP accused the Congress-led central government of conspiring against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Reacting to Modi's interview, former BJP president Rajanth Singh said: "He has not been proven guilty. None of the courts has found him guilty. Even after 10 years, they have not been able to prove anything."
"This is an organised conspiracy by the central government to malign the Gujarat chief minister and the Gujarat government. They are trying to bring a bad name to a model government," he said.
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