PM Modi On Godhra Riots: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first podcast aired on Friday (January 10, 2025). He has done this podcast on the YouTube channel of Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath. During this, the PM spoke on many controversial topics including the Godhra riots of 2002 and the United States’ refusal to grant visas in 2005.
Recalling the Godhra incident and the death of people, Prime Minister Modi said, “After seeing that painful scene, I felt everything but I made every possible effort to control my emotions, because I was the Chief Minister.”
‘Being a VIP, he was not allowed to go in the helicopter’
PM Modi said, “On February 24, 2002, I became an MLA for the first time and on February 27, I went to the Assembly. I was a three-day old MLA when such an incident happened in Godhra. We first got the news of fire in the train, then gradually- Slowly we started getting news of casualties. As soon as I came out I said there was only one helicopter. It was from ONGC, but they said that since it is a single engine helicopter, they cannot allow any VIP in it and I said that I will be responsible for whatever happens. I will give.”
“I reached Godhra and I saw that painful scene, those dead bodies. I felt everything, but I knew I was sitting in a situation where I had to stay away from my emotions and natural instincts. I tried to control myself. Whatever he could do, he did.”
Did not get US visa while being Gujarat CM
PM Modi also mentioned the incident of America refusing to grant him a visa when he was the CM of Gujarat. He said, “I was an MLA when the US government refused to grant me a visa. As an individual, going to America was not a big deal, I had been there before, but I felt that an elected government and The country is being insulted, and I was confused as to what was happening… That day I held a press conference, where I said that the American government has refused to give me a visa. That I see India as a place where the world Will be standing in the queue for visa. This is my statement of 2005 and today we are standing in 2025. So, I can see that now is the time for India.”
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