FM takes potshots at riots

BATTLEFIELD GUJARAT

Taking potshots indirectly at the Gujarat riots in 2002, Finance Minister P Chidambaram today said India could not be built as a strong nation if institutions of governance pitted one section against the other.

"We cannot build India unless we build an inclusive society. We can't build an inclusive society unless every institution of governance consciously sheds its bias and prejudices and works for every section of society," Chidambaram said addressing the KPMG-TiE Entrepreneurship Summit here.

"We had riots in a city in one of the states of India a few years ago. We found to our great dismay people on two-wheelers and in cars joining others to loot shops. Why would anyone who owns a two-wheeler or car join others to loot shops," Chidambaram asked.

Chidambaram's comment comes at a time when the state assembly election is underway in Gujarat. However, he refrained from taking the name of Gujarat, where there was a riot in 2002.