Ahmedabad: Gujarat Congress on Saturday said
that the Time magazine as well as the Brookings Institution's
recent articles on chief minister Narendra Modi, which praised
him for state's development, were "biased, partial" and which
"highlight wrong facts about Gujarat".
Time magazine, in its March 26 issue, published an
article on the Modi, with the heading: "Modi means business",
along with a strap: "But can he lead India?".
"I am deeply distressed by two recent articles on
Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi. One is by Time magazine
and the other is by Brookings Institution. Journalism or
reporting is supposed to be balanced and impartial. I am
surprised why only those, who have praised Modi, have been
quoted," state Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil told reporters
here today.
Brookings Institution also recently published an
interview of Modi, praising him for the work done by his
government for the development of Gujarat.
"These articles are an injustice to Gujarat and India,
because they are biased, partial and highlight wrong facts
about Gujarat," Gohil said.
"All those with values, all those, who respect Gujarat
for it is this land that gave birth to Gandhi and Sardar Patel
need to protest against it strongly," he further said.
"Modi thinks by repeating a lie, it becomes a truth.
Modi's Goebellian propaganda is once again reflected through
these articles," Gohil further alleged.
Taking the attack on Modi at personal level, Gohil
further said, "The Time article, of course, has some correct
facts and I have to acknowledge and congratulate the magazine
for at least acknowledging that Narendra Modi is a married
man, because, to begin with, his long strings of lies,
masks and manipulation, Modi has never ever acknowledged his
marriage," Gohil said.
"Modi's career began with a lie. For as we are told,
the RSS constitution clearly says that their full-time
pracharaks have to be unmarried, bachelors, who can devote
their life to RSS. Modi began as a RSS pracharak. And so far,
has never acknowledged his marriage," Gohil said.
"Isn't journalism supposed to be balanced and impartial?
Why have only people and person, who have been lavish in their
praise for Modi being quoted in these pieces. Why not a single
quote from a person, who has serious concerns with Modi and
his rule?" Gohil asked.
"I sincerely wish Time magazine would have checked the
facts doled out by Modi and his government. There are several
factual inaccuracies in the article of Time magazine," Gohil
said.
"The article says: Gujarat has progressed like never
before in Modi regime and is now most industrialised state of
India. Right now, Gujarat's growth rate is about 12 per cent
growth. Now, in 1992-93, please remember there was no
liberalisation and economic reforms at that point of time,
Gujarat's growth rate was 16.75 per cent," Gohil said.
"Modi alone has been taking credit for Gujarat and its
growth when Gujarat has traditionally been the growth centre
of the nation. Time or Brookings should have mentioned that,"
Gohil said.
"India is a democracy? Can we have a dictator, who
overlooks a genocide, be praised and lauded for whatever he
does? But then, does a democracy adhere to the Chinese module
of growth and progress? Gohil asked.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, March 17, 2012, 23:36