AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Congress today 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 on Saturday.
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 piece/s. 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 92-93: and 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? Can we condone a genocide, a mass killing of over 2,000 innocent men, women and children, can we conveniently overlook the brutal rapes of pregnant Muslim women and move on?" Gohil further asked.
"Modi may have moved on. From being an RSS pracharak to being the chief minister, from being married to disowning his wife. But then, what about the thousands of people, who have lost their families in Gujarat riots or those hundreds languishing in jails, after being nailed for rioting, because their 'Hindutava Hero' had then ordered them to do so. They cannot move on without justice," Gohil said.