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Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today kicked up a political storm by saying he had done "absolutely the right thing" during the 2002 riots and describing himself as a "Hindu nationalist".
Modi came under sharp attack from the Congress, Samajwadi Party, CPI(M), CPI and JD(U) for his remarks in an interview to Reuters during which he said he had not done anything wrong with regard to the riots. An SIT set up by the Supreme Court had given him a "thoroughly clean chit", he said.
The Gujarat strongman's comment, when asked if he regretted the riots, that even if a "puppy comes under the wheel" of a car, one felt sad, drew particularly sharp condemnation with SP accusing him of comparing Muslims to dogs.
Congress and SP demanded immediate apology to the nation from him.
Slamming Modi, Congress said the remarks reflected his "perverse mindset" and were "totally against the idea of India".
"Thousands of people lost their lives in the 2002 riots and in this backdrop the anology used by Narendra Modi needs to be strongly condemned. There is no place for such a comparison in civilised India," said Ajay Maken, AICC Communications Department head, in a reference to the 'puppy' remark.
Samajwadi Party spokesman Kamal Farooqui said, "It is a very sad, very humiliating and very disturbing statement... What does he (Modi) think, that Muslims are worse than even puppies? He does not have a heart for them. He should feel sorry... He should apologise," Farooqui said.
"He (Modi) should be ashamed for using such a language," the SP leader said, adding, "the earlier he apologises, the better it will be. Otherwise, there will be dangerous consequences.
