"If you review the data from before 2002, you will see that Gujarat faced frequent riots. Curfews were constantly being imposed somewhere.
Communal violence would erupt over trivial issues such as kite flying contests or even bicycle collisions," PM Narendra Modi said.
PM Modi, who was Gujarat's Chief Minister at that time, noted that his political opponents at the Centre had tried to create a false narrative in a bid to punish him even after the courts cleared his name more than once.
"At that time, our political opponents were in power, and naturally they wanted all allegations against us to stick. They wanted to see us punished. Despite their relentless efforts, the judiciary analysed the situation meticulously twice and ultimately found us completely innocent," Modi said.
Recalling the Godhra train burning incident that led to the 2002 Gujarat communal riots, Prime Minister Modi described it as an "extremely volatile" period, which unfolded against the backdrop of other major terrorist attacks in India and around the world.
Highlighting the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York, the Indian Parliament, and the Kashmir Assembly in 2001, PM Modi said, "Within just eight to ten months, these major global terrorist attacks took placeviolent incidents that led to bloodshed and the loss of innocent lives. In such a tense environment, even the smallest spark can ignite unrest."
Describing the time as extremely challenging, PM said that Gujarat was still reeling from "a devastating earthquake" when he became the Chief Minister, followed by riots within the first year of him assuming office. "I was a person who had absolutely no prior experience with the government," he recalled in the podcast.
In his podcast with American podcaster Lex Fridman, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lashed out at Pakistan, saying it had been waging a proxy war against India.
"They chose not to foster a harmonious coexistence. Time and again, they decided to be at odds with India. They have waged a proxy war against us. Don't mistake this for ideology," he said answering a question about the strained ties with Pakistan and whether he saw a path to friendship and peace.
"When I invited my Pakistani counterpart to my swearing-in, it was a gesture of goodwill. It was a diplomatic gesture unlike any in decades. The very people who once questioned my approach to foreign policy were taken aback when they learnt I had invited all Saarc heads of state. Yet, every noble attempt at fostering peace was met with hostility and betrayal," he said.
He asserted that even the people of Pakistan had been longing for people as "they must be weary of living in strife and unrest".
"They must have grown weary of relentless terror, where even innocent children are killed and countless lives are destroyed. What kind of ideology thrives on bloodshed and the export of terror?" he said.
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