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Narendra Damodar Modi , the chief minister of gujarat since 2002 , the figure who is one of most controversial in Indian politics . The name which is equally hated and equally loved. Hated by many who believe him to have facilitated gujarat riots by not acting on time. Loved by industrialist and people of right wing as well as majority of gujaratis.
Known as sharp , intelligent , no nonsense and fast in development plans , narendra modi is longest serving chief minister of gujarat. He has been single handily credited to have taken on grand old party of India and made it to be almost non existing entity in gujarat.
The ghost of riots still haunts him. Gujarat riots of 2002 were third riots in subcontinent accused to be facilitated by state (directly or indirectly ) and first one in era of 24 by 7 channel. Anti sikh riots of 1982 was equally worse riot while muslim league sponsered riots of 1946 in calcutta was among first such riots.
Gujarat riots was well published all across the globe . Modi was criticized from all corners and even then prime minister of India (atal bihari vajpayee) advised modi to follow raj dharm.
The election held soon after riots was highly polarized ones , with both insecure communities voting on basis of who would be able to protect them. Modi won and that set , what can be said as modi era. Modi tried hard to get rid of his communal image. He distanced himself from vhp , bajrang dal , he undertook major development steps , he started events like vibrant gujarat calling all whose’s who from industrial world , he even didnt hesitate to get temples removed from streets to facilitate broading the road.
When next election came , gujarat riots was past and narendra modi pitched on development for votes. Narendra modi fought three different entities to win the election. Rival congress , media and most importantly his own party people who were working against him. He single handily demolished all three and brought BJP back in power.
While he remained powerful force in gujarat , outside gujarat his presence proved disaster for BJP and its allies. The development man in gujarat is seen as facist outside gujarat.
Congress is last election tried to use riot to nail modi. It back fired. Why it back fired needs another blog post to answer but reason why gujarat shuns congress is congress itself . BJP is consequence of congress’s policy . It is after effect and not the effect.
Coming back to congress’s strategy in last election. The more it attacked modi , the more beneficial it became for modi. He is smart politicians who knows how to use opponent’s comments to his advantage which he did during last state elections.
Now as CBI is investigating case of sohrabuddin and has already arrested amit shah , narendra modi is going all out to hit back at congress while congress having learnt from experience of last election is refusing to mention modi’s name in any of interviews.
BJP and narendra modi are accusing congress of using CBI as tool to counter modi in gujarat. Narendra modi also took dig on congress by stating that in next elections , congress would field cbi personnel as their candidate. Today again narendra modi attacked center government and he is expected to link gujarat’s self respect with this case.
CBI on other hand is tighting the noose. It has asked supreme court to move case away from gujarat and also has sought more time from the court. It has requested court to give three months time period since it believes the case would go beyond amit shah (indirectly it means it might have narendra modi too in the case).
As cbi is tightening the noose , SIT has already questioned modi in riot case. Both CBI and SIT report directly to supreme court and supreme court is highest authority as far as law goes.
Sure , coming days are tough for narendra modi and if he survives SIT (CBI has not named him in sohrabuddin case) , it would be difficult for congress to get back in gujarat. If supreme court finds narendra modi to be not guilty , it would be Modi rule in gujarat for long long time.
Congress , on other hand is refraining from attacking narendra modi and distancing itself from sohrabuddin case ,amidst allegation that though inquiry has been directed by supreme court , congress is directing CBI.
Would SIT nail modi , would cbi try to book modi in sohrabuddin case?, is congress directing cbi?, is congress hoping law gets modi , would modi turn victorious ?. Time would only answer this question. As of now it is modi v/s congress saga with episode called sohrabuddin fake encounter and cbi.
