Sunday, November 25, 2007

Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat


Chief Minister of Gujrat, Narendra Modi was at his defiant and aggressive best while talking exclusively to the CEO and Editor of Live India, Sudhir Chaudhary. His reactions on "Operation Kalank", a sting operation done by a tv channel, on Godhara, on the internal bickerings in BJP including a revolt against him, over-emphasis on Modi during election campaign and related issues were sharp, scathing and quick witted. On the oft-repeated accusation of having engineered the post-Godhra riots and shielded the rioters after that, Modi thunders, "If Modi is such a big criminal why not hang me? Government of India is an all powerful sovereign authority, I am really surprised why is it not doing so?!"
What is Modi doing amidst rising political temperature in the run up to the Gujrat elections? Modi takes a calculated tangent while answering this question. "I am away from politics and concentrating solely on the development of Gujrat. Basically I am a man of the organization and not a man of politics. I have spent most of my energy during last six years, in filling up the potholes of problems and backwardness in Gujrat, left by the previous governments. Now there are no more potholes and there is a level ground. I am seeking re-election for constructing a grand building of Gujrat's development on this level ground."
It is being said that all is not well within the Sangh Pariwar ; and that sharp differences have cropped up between RSS and other votaries of 'Hindutva' like Praveen Togadia on one hand and Narendra Modi on the other. Modi retorts, "RSS and me are inseparable. No force on earth can do us apart."
UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and President of Pakistan General Parvez Musharaff have often been on Modi's radar of attack. On being asked the reason for it, he quickly harps of on the Gujrati pride. "Why only Sonia and Musharaff, anyone who tries to dent even an iota of the Gujrati pride will be on my line of attack", says Modi and adds, "I have nothing personal against Sonia, our differences are ideological".
On keen interest shown by two of the leading ladies of Indian politics – Mayawati and Uma Bharti – in the coming Gujrat elections, Modi almost carelessly rolls the red carpet, "If Mayawati is trying to set up her house in Gujrat for these elections, she is most welcome, because it will certainly pump in money in my state and will also provide some employment to the people of Gujrat".
Modi has often been accused of being the leader of a handful of 'crorepatis' and not the leader of five crore people of Gujrat. The Gujrat C.M. is at his populist best while replying, "I am the leader of the people on road not those who have crores. In fact I am their servant." Well, the demeanor of Modi is anything but that of a servant, yet at least, that is what he claims in an exclusive interview to the CEO and Editor of Live India, Sudhir Chaudhary.
This immensely watchable, spicy and exclusive interview of Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat,

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