‘Puppy’ remark triggers fury, parties seek apology

Jul 13, 2013 |

Age Correspondent

A massive controversy broke out on Friday over Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on the 2002 riots. Most of the “secular” political parties, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, CPI(M), CPI and JD(U), not only condemned his comments, but also demanded he should apologise for comparing Muslims to a “puppy”, which they said was “humiliating”.

Congress leader Rashid Alvi said Mr Modi’s statement was “not only dangerous, but anti-national”. Mr Alvi said, “It is the same two-nation theory which Jinnah was giving before Partition and India was divided in 1947. Mr Modi says he is a Hindu nationalist... How can he divide the country in such a way? It is against the soul of the Constitution.”
Samajwadi Party spokesman Kamal Farooqui took strong exception to Mr Modi’s comment that he would be sad even “if a puppy comes under the wheel” of a car.
He said: “It is a very sad, very humiliating and very disturbing statement...”

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