April 17 – Asked about the much-awaited apology for the 2002 post-Godhra Gujarat riots, BJP PM nominee Narendra Modi said he had said whatever he had to.
“I have said whatever I had to say. I have come out of people’s court like gold” the Gujarat Chief Minister said in an interview to ANI.
On his silence in the post-riots scenario, he said, “I was not silent. I answered questions from every top journalist in the country from 2002-2007.”
“But I noticed there was no exercise to understand the truth. It was unknown entity causing conspiracies.”
On Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal’s allegation that editors will have to flee the country if Modi becomes PM, the Gujarat CM said, “For 14 years, we are in government here in Gujarat. Has any editor left? Has any reporter left?”
On his edgy relations with media in the post-2002 Gujarat riots scenario, Modi said, “If the media would not have worked to malign Modi then who would know Modi today?”
Probe black money allegations: Modi to Sibal
Replying promptly to Law Minister Kapil Sibal’s allegation that the BJP was using black money to fund Modi’s rallies and the source of the expenses should be probed, the Gujarat Chief Minister said the ruling party still had 25 days left in their decade-long rule at the Centre and urged them to probe the charges thoroughly.
“Congress has 25 days left in the government. I urge them to investigate this (the allegations of black money). Make things clear for the people),” Modi said.
Alleging that the Congress’s latest attack on the use of black money in his rallies was a hint of the party’s growing frustration, Modi said, “Election Commission scrutinises expenditure in each constituency. If Congress has any evidence, send it to EC,” he said.
On Sibal’s allegation that Rs.15 crore were spent on his Vikas Rally in Delhi on September 29, 2013 alone, Modi said, “If you asked Congress yesterday, they would have said Rs.15,000 crore, then Rs.20,000 crore. Whatever number they dream, they say.”
‘Criminal politicians will be in jail in a year’
Modi said he would request the Supreme Court to set up special courts to try criminal politicians. “This step is not for vindictiveness and to slap cases on opponents. It’s to clean the system,” he added.
“In these courts, in a year’s time, all cases will be tried. Guilty will be sent to jail. When the seat is vacated, non-criminal will occupy it.”
Asked about the snoopgate incident, Modi said, “Crime against women is national shame. We should all work as a nation. Rahul Gandhi should not politicise it. Nor should I.”
-India Today
