Modi's cover story in Times magazine draws flak from critics

Mumbai/Bangalore/New Delhi, Mar 17 (ANI): Times magazine's cover story on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has drawn flak from his critics, who have described it as an public relation exercise.

Speaking on the issue, noted social activist Teesta Setalavad said: "I'd like to suggest that this is nothing but a public relations exercise. It is not an objective assessment on Mr. Modi's decade. I'd like to contrast our two leading magazines and what they have had to say. Apart from the justice struggle for the victims of the 2002 carnage, economic and social indicators also belie the Time magazine and the Brookings Institute's assessment," said Setalvad.

She further said that it was inappropriate by the American magazine to project Modi as a prime ministerial candidate, when Indian courts were still assessing his role in the Godhra massacre.

"It is very strange why the Time magazine and the Brookings Institute are in such a hurry to make him a Prime Ministerial candidate, when the Indian courts are not done with him yet. Indian courts are still assessing whether he can be prosecuted for mass murder and conspiracy," Setalvad added.

Reacting to the issue, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office V Narayanasamy said that the basic perception amongst people of the country was that Modi was a communal leader.

"Time magazine, it is for them to publish or not to publish about any political leader or any chief minister or Prime Minister, it is their own assessment. As far as Narendra Modi is concerned, there is a general perception among the people of this country that he is communal. Not only that, during Narendra Modi's time only the Godhra (riots) incident happened and lot of Muslims were killed. Now the case is going on in the court so several allegations are there," he said.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that Modi propagated nationalist politics and his accolades were well deserved.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party and the people of this country are very proud of Narendra Modi, who has proven the mettle of his developmental model to the world. He has proven to the world that anyone who works with nationalist political motivations, the whole world will bow down in his honour," said Naqvi. (ANI)