Excerpts of Modi's speech

[Guest guest]

>Title: Excerpt's of Modi's speech

>Publictaion: Indian Express

>Aug. 24, 2002

>

>State CM on India's CEC: In his own words, unedited and raw

>

>"Some journalist asked me has James Michael Lyngdoh come from Italy? I said

>I've to ask Rajiv Gandhi"

>

>Those Gujaratis who didn't know the Chief Election Commissioner's initials

>knew them all too well by the end of Chief Minister Narendra Modi's speech

>on August 20. Made in Congress country, at Bodeli 65 kms from Vadodara,

>Modi's speech started off with words of praise for ministers and officials

>who'd ensuring smooth water supply from the Narmada. He soon got to the

>point.

>

>"Nobody talks of Godhra as if nobody died. It's an insult to humanity. All

>this happened only because of the Godhra carnage," he said, referring to

>the Godhra accused repeatedly as "nar-pishach" and "nar-rakshas". But the

>choicest bits were reserved for "James Michael Lyngdoh", his "fatwa" on the

>Gujarat elections and his "bias" towards the minorities. Excerpts

>(translated) from a tape:

>

>For several months, the opposition has been after me to resign. When I did,

>they did not know what to do and started running to Delhi to seek Madam?s

>help. They realised that James Michael Lyngdoh, the Election Commissioner

>of India, is their only saviour.

>Some journalists asked me recently, "Has James Michael Lyngdoh come from

>Italy"? I said I don't have his janam patri, I will have to ask Rajiv

>Gandhi. Then the journalists said, "Do they meet in church"?. I replied,

>"Maybe they do."

>

>James Michael Lyngdoh came and visited Ahmedabad and Vadodara. And then he

>used asabhya basha (indecent language) with the officials. Gujaratis can

>never use such language because our rich cultural heritage does not permit

>it. Then he gave a fatwa ordering that the elections can?t be held. I want

>to ask him: he has come to this conclusion after meeting only members of

>the minority community. Are only minority community members citizens of

>India? Are majority community members not citizens of this country? Is the

>constitutional body meant only for the minority community? Did he ever

>bother to meet the relatives of those killed in the Godhra carnage? Why

>didn't he meet them? Why didn't he ask them whether the situation was

>conducive for polls? Why? James Michael Lyngdoh, the people of Gujarat are

>posing a question to you.

>

>If the one lakh gathering here feels that the situation is conducive for

>elections, they should raise their hands and say yes. If the one lakh

>gathering feels that a sinister plan is on to damage Gujarat, raise your

>hand and say yes. See (pointing to the gathering), the answer is yes. Five

>crore Gujaratis will tell you that there is peace.

>

>The day James Michael Lyngdoh issued the fatwa, Congress celebrated it in

>their own style. Forty shops were gutted and 15 persons were injured

>(referring to recent violence in Dhoraji). This is celebration for a delay

>in the election. What will they do in the days ahead?

>

>If this continues, there will be a time when supari will be given for

>delaying elections. Chhota Shakeel, Dawood Ibrahim will be given five crore

>to foment communal disturbances in Rajasthan. And when murders and loot

>will be engineered in Jodhpur, Udaipur and Bharatpur; there will be a hue

>and cry and then James Michael Lyngdoh will come and give a 40-page report

>saying that Rajasthan is not safe for elections. Which direction is

>democracy going in? Five crore Gujaratis need an opportunity to decide.

>

>I am not saying I want to be in power. I am already chief minister. I want

>elections because allegations have been hurled at me. It is for the five

>crore Gujaratis to decide whether I should stay or I should be removed. No

>aalia, valia and jamalia from the Delhi footpath will decide and that is

>why we have gone to the janata ki adalat.

>

>Has the Congress party ever thought why adivasis have become violent? How

>long could they have tolerated the exploitation. Poor adivasi girls working

>as maids were being exploited. As long as I am here, I will not allow this

>exploitation.

>This state is not meant for maut ke saudagars.

>

>This is a border state and my priority has always been that maut ke

>saudagar do not get a place here. If I am targeted by my opponents, I will

>not take out the sword, but if fingers are raised at five crore Gujaratis,

>then the sword will come out.

>Modi then spent the rest of his speech criticising the Congress.

>

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