New Delhi, Mar 16: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday described the Godhra incident as a tragedy of ‘unimaginable magnitude’ in which people were burnt alive and equated the outrage over it to the global outcry after 9/11.

In an interview with US-based podcaster and AI researcher Lex Fridman, PM Modi hinted that the Gujarat riots in 2002 were, to an extent, linked to the tense and volatile situation that prevailed after February 27, 2002, incident of Godhra train burning that left 59 people, including women and children, dead.

“That one tragic incident in 2002 became a sparking point, leading some people towards violence,” he said.

In response to a question on the riots, PM Modi said, “You can imagine, against the backdrop of incidents like the Kandahar hijacking, the attack on parliament, or even 9/11, and then to have so many people killed and burned alive, you can imagine how tense and volatile the situation was. Of course, this was tragic for everyone. Everyone prefers peace.”

Recalling the moment when the news of the Godhra incident came in, he said, “We were seated in the Assembly for the budget session. The same day, it had been just three days since I’d become a state representative when suddenly the horrific Godhra incident occurred. It was a tragedy of unimaginable magnitude, people were burned alive.”

Referring to the volatile situation leading to the communal flareup, PM Modi said, “Within just eight to 10 months, these major global terrorist attacks took place, violent incidents that led to bloodshed and the loss of innocent lives. In such a tense environment, even the smallest spark can ignite unrest. The situation had already become extremely volatile. In such times, suddenly, on October 7th, 2001, I was given the responsibility of becoming chief minister of Gujarat. This was an enormous challenge.”

A few months ago, PM Modi had praised the portrayal of the truth of the Godhra train burning in 2002 in the film ‘The Sabarmati Report’ and lauded it for "revealing the truth".

The film is based on the burning of the Sabarmati Express by a violent mob which set the S6 coach of the train ablaze at the Godhra railway station in Gujarat.

--IANS

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