On Tuesday (14th May), Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that after 2002, concerted efforts have been made to tarnish his image. He stressed that his governance model does not discriminate against people on any grounds be it religion or caste. Slamming the opposition’s charge of doing politics of polarisation, PM Modi argued that he believes in the motto of ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas’ and politics of ‘100% saturation’ – the benefit of Welfare schemes for all.
PM Modi dismisses allegations that he called Muslims ‘ghuspetiyas’ and ‘giving birth to more children’
Notably, PM Modi gave an interview to News18 journalist Rubika Liyaquat at the banks of the River Ganga in his parliamentary constituency, Varanasi.
Regarding his statement made in election rallies in Rajasthan after the first phase of polling, he was asked why he called out Muslims as “ghuspetiyas” (infiltrators) and “having more children”.
Dismissing the allegation that he called Muslims ghuspetiyas or giving birth to more children, PM Modi said, “I’m shocked. Why do people assume I’m talking about Muslims when I talk about people having too many children? Even poor Hindu families have this issue. They are not being able to give their kids proper education. I have neither named Hindus nor Muslims. I’ve just made an appeal that has only as many kids as you can take care of.”
प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी का धमाकेदार इंटरव्यू
— News18 India (@News18India) May 14, 2024
पहली बार गोधरा पर खुलकर बोले PM मोदी
मुसलमानों के साथ रिश्तों पर क्यों भावुक हुए PM?
मुसलमानों के बीच किसने खराब की मोदी की छवि?
हर सवाल का बेबाक जवाब
क्रूज से PM मोदी #SuperExclusive #PMModiOnNews18India #Election2024… pic.twitter.com/YjbS8OAL8E
Replying to the query whether Muslims will vote for him this election, PM Modi noted, “I believe that the people of the country will vote for me. The day I start doing Hindu-Muslim, I won’t be fit to live in public life. I will not do Hindu-Muslim divide, this is my commitment.”
Concerted efforts to tarnish my Image: PM Modi
Recalling his childhood days, PM Modi added that as a kid he lived among the Muslim communities, and celebrated their festivities like Eid and Taziya. He added that he has a lot of Muslim friends. The Prime Minister further emphasised, “The day I start doing Hindu-Muslim, I won’t be fit to live in public life. I will not do a Hindu-Muslim divide.”
PM Modi said, “I have lived among Muslim families in childhood. I have a lot of Muslim friends. After 2002, efforts were made to tarnish my image,” in an apparent reference to the Gujarat riots that took place in 2002. It is pertinent to note that the opposition and its ecosystem continue to allege that when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, his government was complicit in the riots despite the Supreme Court absolving him and his government of any wrongdoing.
Speaking with News18 journalist Rubika Liyaquat, PM Modi recalled his childhood days and bonhomie with his friends who hailed from the Muslim community. He said, “Muslim families used to live in our neighbourhood. On Eid, we didn’t use to cook food in my house as the food used to come from the neighbouring Muslim households. On Muharram, we were taught to go under the taziya.”
He added that after 2002, when his image got tainted, he surveyed to know the ground reality.
Sharing the anecdotal story, PM Modi narrated, “In Ahmedabad, there is a place called Manek Chowk where people go to eat in the evening. But during the day, all businessmen are Muslims and all buyers are Hindus. I sent some people to survey that market. When one of them spoke against me, the shopkeeper stopped him and said ‘Do not say a word against Modi. My kids are going to school because of Modi.’ Almost 90% of shop owners had the same thing to say.”
He highlighted how his governments had extended benefits of all welfare schemes with the aim of 100% saturation and didn’t discriminate between beneficiaries based on religion or caste.
