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Defeat for pseudo-secularists: Modi
Our Correspondent in Ahmedabad |
December 15, 2002 12:44 IST
An elated Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the result of the Gujarat assembly election had proved 'all the pseudo-secularists wrong'.
As the results started trickling in, the caretaker chief minister headed for former chief minister Keshubhai Patel's house, where he said that he was grateful to Keshubhai for standing by him.
"I needed the blessings of all the experienced leaders," Modi later told newspersons.
Asked whether the post-Godhra riots had worked in favour of the BJP, Modi said, "It was the government's performance that helped the BJP. Also, pseudo-secularists were tarnishing the image of the 50 million (five crore) people of Gujarat. At least now, these people should wake up and feel ashamed about their deeds."
"For the last ten months, you (media) people have been saying that Gujarat is burning. But the reality is that the riots occurred in only two percent of Gujarat," said Modi, when it was pointed out that the BJP has prevailed mostly in riot-hit areas.
"People have given their verdict and now it is the turn of the media to accept the truth and be accountable for its
false propaganda in the past 10 months and try to build a rapport with the people," he said.
He refused to speculate on the affect of the BJP's victory on national politics, Modi said, "I am only looking after Gujarat. I cannot comment on what is happening in the country."
He also took a jab at the Congress for inviting RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav to campaign in Gujarat saying the people had rejected the Bihar style of development in favour of the BJP's brand of development.
