'They destroyed, twisted facts': PM Modi recounts Godhra riots at Vibrant Gujarat Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, September 27, recounted the infamous 2002 Gujarat riots and underlined the challenges faced by the then Gujarat government, in which he served as the Chief Minister. The Prime Minister slammed the opposition for running an agenda during the riots, trying to create a perception that Gujarat would be a burden on the country.

Addressing a programme marking 20 years of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, in Science City, Ahmedabad, PM Modi said, "20 years is a long time. No one can forget the 2001 earthquake that rocked the state. After the Godhra incident took place, violence englufed the state. At that time, I had little experience as Chief Minister but had immense trust in people." 

Referring to the opposition, the Prime Minister said, "Some people were running their own agenda during the Godhra incident. They conspired to defame Gujarat. Twisting facts, some people spread negativity and thought the state has been destroyed." 

'Environment of disheartened fear' 

PM Modi affirmed that there was an environment of disheartened fear that the entire thing was heading to an impending doom. "I had taken the resolve that we will emerge stronger out of this situation," the Prime Minister added. 

Slamming the Congress-led UPA, he mentioned that those who ran the central government earlier used to link Gujarat's development with politics. "The minister of the central govt used to refuse to come to Vibrant Gujarat. They used to threaten foreign investors and tried to stop them from coming to Gujarat. Even after so much of threats, foreign investors came to Gujarat." 

"We not only did redevelopment of Gujarat but also thought about its future, we made 'Vibrant Gujarat' a key channel for this. 'Vibrant Gujarat' was made a channel to increase the self-confidence of Gujarat and a channel to speak to the world eye to eye."

2002 Godhra riots 

The burning of a train in Godhra on February 27, 2002, resulting in the tragic demise of 58 Hindu pilgrims and karsevaks returning from Ayodhya, is widely regarded as the catalyst for the prolonged period of violence that engulfed Gujarat for over three months.

PM Modi was exonerated of any involvement in the violence by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Supreme Court of India in 2012. Additionally, the SIT dismissed allegations that the state government had failed to take sufficient measures to prevent the riots.