Narendra Modi breaks his silence on 2002 Gujarat riots

New Delhi: Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, the prime ministerial candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), broke nearly 12 years of silence on Friday by expressing his anguish over the riots that engulfed the state in 2002.

One day after a Gujarat lower court cleared him of a complicit role in the riots that left some 1,000 people dead, Modi wrote on his official blog that “the mindless violence of 2002” had left him “shaken to the core”.

Some analysts said the statement, which came as a surprise, could be an attempt by Modi to seek closure over the riots, with which his alleged association continues to be a political liability.

It could potentially also make it easier for the prime ministerial aspirant to reach out to sceptics—individuals as well as political parties.

“Grief, sadness, misery, pain, anguish, agony—mere words could not capture the absolute emptiness one felt on witnessing such inhumanity,” Modi wrote.

“In decisively confronting this great turmoil, I had to single-mindedly focus all the strength given to me by the almighty, on the task of peace, justice and rehabilitation; burying the pain and agony I was personally wracked with.”

On Thursday, an Ahmedabad metropolitan court upheld the clean chit given to Modi by a Supreme Court-appointed special investigating team (SIT) in a case related to the riots, saying there was no “prosecutable evidence” to initiate a case against Modi and others. The court ruled on a writ petition that wanted the report to be set aside.

Modi and his state government have been accused of not doing enough to contain the riots that broke out in Gujarat after a mob torched a train coach carrying mainly Hindu pilgrims on 27 February 2002 in the town of Godhra.

“I have only one earnest prayer to God. That never again should such cruelly unfortunate days come in the lives of any other person, society, state or nation,” Modi wrote in a blog titled “Satyameva Jayate: Truth Alone Triumphs”. He added that he had to go through “inner turmoil and shock of being blamed” for the death and misery of those affected in the riots.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who held a press conference at his party headquarters on Friday to brief the media about his meeting with Congress chief ministers, dodged a question on his reaction to Modi’s blog post.

Within the Congress there is pressure, especially from among the younger leaders, to declare Gandhi as the party’s prime ministerial candidate and turn the 2014 general election into a Gandhi vs. Modi face-off.

“The reason that he (Modi) has gone public on this is that he realizes that as he is coming on the national scene, he has to make certain statements,” said Sandeep Shastri, a political analyst and pro vice-chancellor of Bangalore-based Jain University.

“He has gone to the extent to which his self-constructed image allows him to go. He has not apologized but only expressed regret,” Shastri added.

The BJP bested the Congress in recent state assembly elections, wresting back Rajasthan, emerging as the single largest bloc in the Delhi assembly, and retaining power in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Modi spearheaded the party’s campaign in the four states.

Experts said Modi’s blog post may enhance the BJP’s prospects of finding alliance partners and help refurbish his image abroad.

“Most of those who have aligned with the BJP have already made up their mind, like the Telugu Desam Party, and this could bolster their arguments,” said Jai Mrug, a Mumbai-based political analyst. “The use of emotive words and adjectives is to build Modi’s stature as a statesman and it is more important keeping in mind the international audience.”

Modi also addressed a section of his critics in his blog post.

“What pained even more was that in their overzealousness to hit at me for their narrow personal and political ends, they ended up maligning my entire state and country. This heartlessly kept reopening the wounds that we were sincerely trying to heal,” he said.

Experts noted the timing of the emotional blog post just a few months before the general election.

“Moving to a national stage, Modi cannot be silent on such an issue,” Shastri said. “He is hoping for closure on the issue, but in politics, there is never closure. His opponents will rake it up whenever it is needed.”

A victory for the people, a victory for India and the triumph of the ballot

India has voted. 

The biggest festival of democracy has just concluded and in those lakhs of EVMs lays the verdict of the people of India. Counting of votes will take place on 16thof May but today we already have the undisputed winners and they are the people of India! Once again, India has won, the power of the ballot has triumphed and the spirit of democracy has shown itself to be supreme.

I would like to express my gratitude to the Election Commission for conducting this mammoth exercise.I thank and salute all those countless election staff, security personnel and police personnel without whom no Election is possible.

It is unfortunate that we witnessed some untoward incidents during the poll process during which some lives were lost. I salute all those who wereunfortunately martyred and offer my deepest condolences to their families. These brave individuals lived and died for democracy. It is our duty to ensure that their sacrifices do not go in vain. 

History will remember the 2014 Elections as historic and marking a paradigm shift from conventional electioneering. Normally, the party in power sets the agenda of the campaign but for the first time it was not the case. Far from setting the agenda, the ruling party was neither proactive nor responsive. It was only reactive throughout the campaign

What makes me very happy is the fact that the NDA remained firm on our agenda of development and good governance. We did not stop there; we successfully forced these two issues to become the focal point of the campaign. Yes, there were attempts to digress from these issues but we remained firm. The result was- those who wanted to praise us said we were doing well and those who wanted to critique us kept saying ‘we are doing better than BJP ruled states.’ An election must be fought on positive issues and I am glad we were able to alter the discourse in a way that helped people make their choices on the basis of a positive agenda.

2014 Lok Sabha elections will stand out for the increased turnout. Whenever polling would end for a particular phase, I would eagerly wait for the polling numbers and invariably my joy would increase seeing the jump in turnout.  Be it the cities or villages, old or young, men or women, everyone voted in large numbers. In most of the places it was sweltering, in some places there was rain and in some of the places in the hills it was cool apart from the hilly terrain but none of this deterred people from going out and voting.

Here I want to make a special mention for the increasing turnout among youngsters. Back in the day, voting was not believed to be ‘cool enough’ for a lot of youngsters. Today that is history. Voting is cool and rightly so! One needs to log in to Facebook or Twitter on polling day to see the number of Selfies my young friends are sharing. This is a very positive sign and I hope it continues in the times to come.

Throughout the campaign, I was able to connect with local people and local issues and this was something that I enjoyed very much. Connecting with local sentiments in this manner would not have been possible without social media. This is the first election where social media has assumed an important role and the importance of this medium will only increase in the years to come. Our Party, our campaign and me personally have gained tremendously from social media. It became a direct means of information and gave us the much-needed local pulse on several issues without any bias. It is said that the success of an Organisation depends on the accuracy and promptness with which there is an upward flow of information from the grass root level workers and well-wishers to the top that is complimented by clear and timely guidance from the top rung to those working on the ground. With the advent of social media this principle of Organisational working stands further strengthened.

There is one more thing for which we have to profusely thank social media- it has caused the downfall of manufactured lies and half-truths at a very nascent stage. Earlier during Elections we had people whose lies would reach every section of society. In a time when means of communication were less, they could get away with their same old speeches and half-baked assurances. Social media has changed that! In this age of information and social media the lies that come out of their microphones cannot even get past the podium of their speech venues, forget reaching others. More power to social media in the days ahead.

I congratulate friends in the media for covering every aspect of the Elections. The media was active in every part of the nation, keeping us abreast with latest happenings.  I do however feel that there is immense room for improving the debate and discourse surrounding the elections. At the same time, the continuous election humour that is a part of every election kept the smiles on our faces.

Along with the Lok Sabha Elections there were Assembly Elections in Odisha, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. Two newly created states out of Andhra Pradesh will begin their development journey.Due to the Lok Sabha campaign, the local issues of all these states could not be discussed the manner in which they ideally should have been. I did make it a point to talk about my experiences in these poll bound states wherever I went across the nation.

Yes, this has been a hard-fought election. It had its joyous moments and there were heated moments as well. Now is the time to put the heat and dust of campaign behind and look ahead. Irrespective of who wins on the 16th, the dreams of a billion Indians should not suffer. Yes, as political parties and candidates we have differing ideologies but our goal is one- to work for India and to fulfill the aspirations of our youth.

This is the right time to look ahead. It is a time to connect with each other. Lets place people over politics, hope over despair, healing over hurting, inclusion over exclusion and development over divisiveness. It is natural for the spirit of bi-partisanship to get temporarily lost in the midst of an election campaign but now is the time to resurrect it.

Personally, this campaign has been a remarkable journey. In my Blog a few days ago I talked about how this journey was extensive, innovative and satisfying. I had never imagined that someone like me would find himself here today. This is the power of Democracy and this is the power of Bharat Mata. I want to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for being a part of this journey. Your support and criticism made this journey a lot livelier. I want to specially thank the security forces who have travelled with me or travelled before me to the various rallies for security arrangements. If Narendra Modi could address so many rallies and meet so many people, a lot of credit goes to them.

Let me end with a few words to all my fellow candidates and workers from BJP and the NDA who fought shoulder to shoulder with us- thanks for your efforts and partnership.  I wish each and every one the very best for 16thofMay.

Let us begin the journey towards ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’ and create an India our founding fathers would be proud of.

Yours,

Narendra Modi

Varanasi shall set in motion the wheels of change that will take India on the path of good governance.

For thousands of years, the ancient city of Varanasi has been a symbol of knowledge, education and culture. Varanasi is the city of Lord Shiva; he who is a linking-bridge between various cultures;he who drank poison himself to save the World from evils& is known as Neelkanth. Today, the eyes of entire nation are set on Varanasi & the reason of it is also the Shiv Swarup of Varanasi that can not only drink poison to save the society but also play Damrooto save the people from those who push the country into the pit of despair.

It is believed that it is in this Varanasi where Maa Ganga’s beauty and virtuesreach that highest level of piousness that even looking at the Ganges becomes a source of salvation for a person. But, today this revered Maa Ganga is struggling for its own identity. Even after spending thousands of crores of rupees, the condition of the polluted Ganges is the same. River Ganga is a symbol of prestige for Varanasi city & to revive that prestige, the need is of extensive efforts.

Varanasi is the biggest centre point of Ganga-Jamuna culture.Varanasi is not only regarded as the most pious city of the Hindu culture, but it also holds vital importance in Jainism and Buddhism.Gautam Buddha had delivered his first sermon here at Sarnath. It was in Varanasi only where the “Shehnaai” of Bharat Ratna Bismillah Khan kept echoing of the Hindu-Muslim “UNITY”. These are the reasons why Varanasi, today is the biggest centre of spiritual knowledge in the World.

New Delhi is the Political Capital of India and Mumbai is the Financial Capital of the Nation. On this line, I wish that Varanasi city becomes the Intellectual Capital of the country. My party and I will leave no stone unturned to make this a reality. We would want to develop Kashi in a way that will make it the centre of cultural and intellectual activities &where the stream of knowledge would continuously flow.

Here, there are world famous educational institutions such as The Banaras Hindu University, The Sampurnanand Sanskrit University and The Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidhyapeeth. These institutions require constant care and up-gradation because they are not only an identity to the Banaras city, but also because they are important to ignite thelight of knowledge in the entire Purvanchal, including Bhojpuri region.

Banaras city is a huge centre of tourist attraction and is also world-renowned for its handicrafts and arts. Despite that, the local youth are left unemployed. There was a time when Banarasi Paan and Banarasi Saree were the biggest trend of the market. Thousands of people involved in them got employment but today, these both specialities are fighting for theirsurvival. In these many years, we could not create a new brand for Banaras and the old ones are also losing their sheen.

The need of the hour is that we restore the rich heritage of Varanasi. The Cottage, Handicrafts & Handloom industries in Varanasi must be revived.Employment has to be generated locally. By doing this, we would not only be providing employment to the thousands of residents of Varanasi near their homes but also bring back the lost prestige of the city.

However, all this would not be complete without better civic amenities. Today, Banaras is suffering because of poor roads, violence, traffic-jams, and short supply of electricity and water. A big reason for these problems is the ignore attitude of the central and state governments. The interference of Mafias and Thekedars (Licence holders) in the government departments is also one of the reasons. I promise that from Centre to Banaras, the domination of Mafias involved in looting the public funds will be entirely eliminated.

The crucial moment for the 16th Lok Sabha poll has arrived. You would remember that during the end of the 20th century, the think-tank and philosophers around the world pronounced that the 21st century will belong to India. And in the beginning of this century, under the governance of the BJP led NDA government,this future-statement was appearing to be taking shape. The World was looking at the India with an eye of hope!There was tremendous enthusiasm among the youth & every family had a success story to tell of their children. But a decade of misgovernance of UPA, instead of taking the country ahead, pushed India decades back & left the story of the prospering India incomplete.

Friends, the time has come that we bring a change! It is said that the image of country’s politics reflects in Varanasi, so let us begin from here.

Varanasi is the only place from where the revered Ganga is Uttar Vahini (flows towards North). It is here from where the powerful stream of the river Ganga turns directions. Thus, the start of the biggest change will also happen from Varanasi. The country will again move towards GOOD GOVERNANCE and this message initiated from the Varanasi will light a NEW HOPE in the entire country.

With this belief...

Yours Truly

Narendra Modi

Innovation is vital for combating climate change & ensuring climate justice: PM at Mission Innovation event hosted by the US President

President Hollande, President Obama, Excellencies, Mr. Bill Gates, Distinguished Guests, 

Let me begin by saluting President Hollande and the people of France for their courage and resolve; and, to the world for coming together for Paris and France. 

The outstanding arrangements reflect the character of this great nation. The world has assembled in Paris to change the course of our planet to a sustainable path. 

We must speak about goals and targets on carbon emissions and rise in global temperature. But, it is just as important to focus on the instruments that will make it natural and easy for the world to get there.

A vast section of humanity lives at the edge of poverty and in darkness after the sun sets. They need energy to light up their homes and power their future. 

And, they are also the most vulnerable to the consequences of an industrial age powered by fossil fuel. 

Access to energy and a better life is a universal aspiration. And, so are clean environment and healthy habitats. 

As the world's majority works its way to prosperity on a planet left with very limited carbon space , we have to do many things. 

We have to ensure, in the spirit of climate justice, that the life of a few does not crowd out the opportunities for the many still on the initial steps of the development ladder.

The advanced countries must leave enough room for developing countries to grow. And, we must strive for a lighter carbon footprint on our growth path. 

For that we must come together in a partnership to bring clean energy within the reach of all. 

Innovation is vital for combating climate change and ensuring climate justice.

That is what makes this Innovation Summit very special. This unites us behind a common purpose. 

We need research and innovation to make renewable energy much cheaper; more reliable; and, easier to connect to transmission grids. 

We can make conventional energy cleaner. And, we can develop newer sources of renewable energy. 

This is a global responsibility to our collective future. 

Our innovation initiative should be driven by public purpose, not just market incentives, including on intellectual property.

That also means strong public commitment by suppliers to developing countries. 

That will make clean energy technology available, accessible and affordable for all. 

This partnership will combine the responsibility of governments with the innovative capacity of the private sector. We will double our investments in research and innovation; and, deepen collaboration among ourselves. 

We should have an international network of 30-40 universities and labs focusing for next ten years on renewable energy. 

Innovation must be backed by means to make it affordable and ensure adoption.

We have a very successful models of public-private partnership with many countries present here. India is also building renewable capacity in developing countries, including small island states. 

The progress on clean energy technology and costs is impressive. If we raise the level of our efforts, we can transform the world. 

We will also lay the foundation of a new economy in new low carbon age. 

We will restore the balance between ecology and economy, and between our inheritance and obligation to the future. And, live up to Gandhiji's call to care for the world we shall not see. 

Activists ask Mark Zuckerberg to wash his hands after meeting with Modi

Among the highest points of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's US tour was his meeting on Sunday with Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. At the end of the mutually congratulatory encounter, Modi wrote on the real wall at the Facebook headquarters. "Ahimsa is the greatest Dharma," declared the message, written in Gujarati.

Ironically, Modi's alleged refusal to adhere to the precept of Ahimsa, has motivated a group of activists called the Alliance for Justice and Accountability, to start a campaign called Zuck, Wash Your Hands! In response to the Modi-Zuckerberg meet, they aim to send hundreds of bottles of hand sanitiser to the Facebook founder to help wash the blood off his hands – reference to Modi's failure to halt religious riots that left nearly 1,000 people dead in Gujarat in 2002 when he was chief minister.

"The American public – and in particular, the leaders of Silicon Valley – must remember that Modi is not simply a prime minister making a trade visit, he is a man responsible for genocide," said a spokesperson for the collective.

The campaign invites people to fill out a form and have a bottle of sanitizer sent to Zuckerberg on their behalf. A total of 250 bottles have been sent out so far, the website reports. Each bottle bears the name of one of the victims of the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Modi's message at Facebook would almost seem to be a response to allegations against his complicity in the riots. Modi frequently invoked Gandhi's legacy of non-violence on his tours abroad. He has so far unveiled Mahatma Gandhi busts in Australia, Germany, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and a Centre for Gandhian studies in China.

Modi in US: Emphatic posturing on climate change

India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), to be unveiled on Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday on October 2 for added moral dimension, are keenly awaited across world capitals after Prime Minister Narendra Modi pointedly apprised leading western nations, notably the United States, France and Britain, of the third world’s need for access to finance and technology for clean energy to combat climate change without hurting their development. By making developmental priorities non-negotiable, Modi put the onus of the success of the Paris summit (Nov 30-Dec 11, 2015) on the developed world.

Climate change is real. Earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, melting ice caps, polluted air and water are taking a severe toll on human and animal life. The vagaries of the weather afflict agriculture, putting food security at risk. The warning bells have tolled unheeded for over three decades, but now global warming, ozone depletion, and rising sea levels threaten the very existence of several small island nations from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Of special concern are the Pacific Island countries that helped Indian scientists to track the movement of the iconic Mars mission, a point Modi pointedly made in his speech at the UN Sustainable Development Summit in New York, where he demanded “climate justice” and urged acceptance of “common but differentiated responsibilities”.

It’s a huge challenge. At least $100 billion annually will be needed to help developing countries cope with and fight climate change; as world finance ministers meet in Lima, Peru (Oct. 7-8), it is uncertain if they can agree on that figure. Yet the man-made crisis is so serious that a further rise in temperatures must be kept below 2 degrees Celsius, or climate change will become irreversible.

Beijing, the greatest greenhouse gas emitter, made a deal with Washington two years ago to peak its emissions by 2030, before beginning reductions. Delhi may announce its peak emission target on October 2, but the government is adamant that combating poverty and giving over 300 million Indians access to energy has priority over reducing its carbon footprint. Modi’s hopes of accessing technology were raised when Microsoft founder Bill Gates joined his meeting with President Hollande.

Claiming that India is already implementing many of the Agenda 2030 goals adopted at the summit as these coincide with the philosophy of BJP ideologue, Deendayal Upadhyaya, who placed the welfare of the last man at the centre of his concerns, Modi urged cooperation in developing renewable sources of energy through innovation, finance and technology. He felt the developed world must make lifestyle changes to arrest environmental degradation through “sustainable consumption”, and was adamant that there would be no compromise with his election promises of housing, power, water and sanitation for all, which are critical for welfare, human dignity, and female empowerment.

India’s development agenda, Modi stressed, is compatible with the Sustainable Development Goals. It includes a financial inclusion scheme for poverty alleviation (Jan Dhan Yojana) under which 180 million new bank accounts have been opened; a nationwide skill development programme; direct transfer of benefits; funds to the unbanked; insurance for all; pension for all; smart cities projects; Swachh Bharat campaign in cities and villages; and plans to provide clean drinking water and 24×7 electricity. The ‘save the girl child’ and ‘educate her’ campaign has made powerful inroads across the country, while the prime minister’s advocacy of a “blue revolution” (fisheries) converges with anxieties regarding global warming and the danger to island states.Much of India’s new economic growth will come from individual enterprises supported by microfinances, start-ups and innovations, but India has to revive her manufacturing sector and make massive investments in infrastructure to realise the smart cities which are seen as sustainable engines of progress. India is also working to make farms more productive and better connected to markets, so farmers are less vulnerable to inclement weather.

Aware that his ambitions may trigger fears that India might be lax in reducing emissions, Modi reminded his audience that Indian culture regards the Earth as Mother, and pointed to his government’s stated ambitions to produce 175 GW of electricity through renewable energy sources in just seven years (by 2022), and undertake a host of energy efficiency measures, including a tax on coal; improving public transportation; using household waste to generate electricity; and a huge afforestation programme, especially along national highways.

Asserting that India’s developmental paradigm includes its development partners in Asia, Africa and the island states from the Pacific to the Atlantic, Modi cannily insisted that the developed world must fulfill its financing commitments for development and climate change, without clubbing the two under the same head! In a swipe at the hitherto unchallenged Patent Raj of the west, he hoped the Technology Facilitation Mechanism would turn technology and innovation into an instrument for global public good, not just private returns.

PM Modi hit ground running with Manmohan Singh's ideas, says Arun Maira-

NEW DELHI: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inducted him into government as a change management expert and then didn't back any change, while Manmohan's 'reform champion' Montek Singh Ahluwalia was no more than a reluctant reformer, former Planning Commission member Arun Maira has said in his book, to be released next Wednesday.Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his first seven months in office scrapped the commission, replacing it witNAayog focused on co-operative federali .. 

#modi Namo#

1. Narendra Damodardas Modi is the 15th and current Prime Minister of India, in office since 26 May 2014. Modi, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, was the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Parliament from Varanasi. Wikipedia

   Born: September 17, 1950 (age 64), Vadnagar

   Spouse: Jashodaben Modi (m. 1968)

   Parents: Heeraben Modi, Damodardas Mulchand Modi

   Siblings: Vasantiben Hasmukhlal Modi, Prahlad Modi, Amrit Modi,Pankaj Modi, Soma Modi

   Awards: CNN-IBN Indian of the Year

   Education: Gujarat University (1983), University of Delhi (1978)

   
   
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