Gujarat riots: Why Modi’s near-apology won’t silence critics

Manmohan Singh, on the other hand, said it with fewer words, but it was a clear apology. "I have no hesitation in apologising to the Sikh community. I apologise not only to the Sikh community, but to the whole Indian nation because what took place in 1984 is the negation of the concept of nationhood enshrined in our Constitution."

So, in formal terms, Singh’s was a fuller apology than Modi’s. It said a clear sorry.

But did it bring any closure? A close examination does not show this to be true. The apology came not only 21 years after the event, but from a Sikh prime minister who had nothing to do with it. It came not from the Congress party or the Gandhi family, but their appointed caretaker.

Unlike the Gujarat cases, the Sikh killings have not resulted in any kind of significant convictions of the perpetrators. This, even though the casualties were more than twice as high as in Gujarat. The distribution of casualties heavily one-sided in 1984 -- with only Sikhs being killed. The Gujarat riots saw more people die from police firings than through communal targeting –- suggesting that policing was not entirely abandoned. In 1984, they were.

Another point of difference is this: in 1984, Rajiv Gandhi campaigned for the Congress by tapping into the anti-Sikh sentiment that was prevalent after the assassination of Indira Gandhi. The elections were held barely two months after the assassination, and so even the Election Commission helped Rajiv achieve a huge sympathy wave.

In 2002, Modi campaigned on a veiled anti-minority plank, but the Election Commission delayed the elections to the Gujarat assembly for well over six months in order to avoid giving people a chance to vote in anger. But Modi still won hands down.

But despite a continuous barrage of court cases and media criticism, all of which he weathered, we still find only Modi in the dock, despite a near-apology or expressions of pain and anguish. Quite clearly, the bar will be raised continuously for Modi.

However, there is a difference between the phony Delhi consensus against accepting a Modi apology and how the ordinary Indian Muslim will view it. Most Muslims may still not vote for him, but many of them will probably accept that the Modi of 2014 is not the same Modi as 2002.

The big question is how this impacts their voting patterns.This is really the biggest question of 2014, not whether Modi will win. If many Muslims find the near-apology sincere enough, 2014 will be a game-changing election.

Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/gujarat-riots-why-modis-near-apology-wont-silence-critics-1310199.html?utm_source=ref_article

Nothing will silence Modi's...errr....BJP's critics... Remember it was Advani's skin that the "critics" were after until 2002. Then the babri crap was forgotten....as Advani had become a non-threat. If Modi renounces his PM candidature, all will be forgotten. Of course, they will find something on the next leader of BJP.

Modi, instead of talking about Gujarat - treat it as a closed case - and talk about Sikh genocide, corruption, and VadrasGate.

The only way to beat the Pseudo-secular extremism is counterin with secular hinduism.

Incidentally firstpost.com has become solidly pro Modi.

Marathadi-Saamiyaar wrote:Nothing will silence Modi's...errr....BJP's critics... Remember it was Advani's skin that the "critics" were after until 2002. Then the babri crap was forgotten....as Advani had become a non-threat.  If Modi renounces his PM candidature, all will be forgotten.  Of course, they will find something on the next leader of BJP.

Modi, instead of talking about Gujarat - treat it as a closed case - and talk about Sikh genocide, corruption, and VadrasGate.

The only way to beat the Pseudo-secular extremism is counterin with secular hinduism.

Please do take a note as to how Muslims are declining in Modi's rule, Imagine if he becomes a PM, Muslim brothers will be alienated & suffer all over India.

https://such.forumotion.com/t18825-bihar-muslim-state-gujarat-hindu-state

Firstpost is now part of tv18 group which is now indirectly controlled by Mukesh Ambani.

confuzzled dude wrote:

Marathadi-Saamiyaar wrote:Nothing will silence Modi's...errr....BJP's critics... Remember it was Advani's skin that the "critics" were after until 2002. Then the babri crap was forgotten....as Advani had become a non-threat.  If Modi renounces his PM candidature, all will be forgotten.  Of course, they will find something on the next leader of BJP.

Modi, instead of talking about Gujarat - treat it as a closed case - and talk about Sikh genocide, corruption, and VadrasGate.

The only way to beat the Pseudo-secular extremism is counterin with secular hinduism.

Please do take a note as to how Muslims are declining in Modi's rule, Imagine if he becomes a PM, Muslim brothers will be alienated & suffer all over India.

https://such.forumotion.com/t18825-bihar-muslim-state-gujarat-hindu-state

PC answer: That will be a sad thing for a secular India...whoever becomes the PM should ensure inclusion of all hindus and muslims and others in the development of India.

Now a non-PC answer: No sweat....they are all already alienated as if they are from Pakisaitan. First make sure the hindus are not alienated in a Hindu country.