Modi's remark on 2002 Gujarat riots in biography by British author draws ire

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi drew ire after he was quoted as saying that he was sad but had no regrets over 2002 Gujarat riots in his political biography by a British author.

Reportedly, British author Andy Marino in Modi's biography, titled 'Narendra Modi: A political biography', quoted Modi who said no court had come close to establishing the riots.

Reacting to his statements in the biography, member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and Muslim cleric, Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangimahli, said that Modi's apathy towards the Muslim community was quite evident.

"His remarks show his mentality regarding the 2002 riots in Gujarat where thousands of innocent Muslims were killed and he does not even take responsibility for such a grave incident, which exposed how incompetent he was in controlling the incident," he said.

Meanwhile, former leader of regional Janata Dal-United (JD-U), Shivanand Tiwari, also criticised Modi's incompetence to control the widespread unrest.

"How did he remain a mute spectator during such an incident? Modi's victory in elections after 2002 riots was criticised by many saying he won on the grounds of communal polarization. Nitish Kumar defended Modi saying that the mass cannot be communally polarised," said Tiwari.