2002 Gujarat Riots: Modiji endured pain of false allegations silently for 19 yrs, says Amit Shah

New Delhi, Jun 25: Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded the Supreme Court verdict dismissing the plea challenging the clean chit given by SIT to then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and several others in 2002 riots that took place in the state. He said that the truth had come out, "shining like gold."

Shah said PM Modi had endured pain for the last 19 years without speaking a word and followed "Lord Shiva who swallowed poison and held it in his throat."

In an exclusive interview with ANI, he said that the truth had come out, "shining like gold."

Shah sought an apology from people who leveled "politically motivated" allegations against the then Gujarat Chief Minister following the 2002 riots.

"The Supreme Court has dismissed all allegations, it has said why allegations were levelled. You can say in a way that allegations are politically motivated, this has also been proved. It was a battle of 19 years, such a big leader without saying a word, endured pain like Lord Shiva drank poison and continued to fight (sabhi dukhon ko bhagwan Shankar ke vishpan ki tarah gale mein utarkar sehen karkar ladta raha). Now in the end when the truth has come out like glittering gold, it has come out with full shine, then it is natural to feel joyous (anand hi hoga)," the Home Minister said.

"I have closely seen Modiji enduring this pain, facing the allegations despite being on the side of truth and because the judicial process was underway he did not speak. Only a man with a strong heart can do this. The interview we are doing today, I could have done in 2003 as Gujarat Home Minister and later as party chief. But till the judicial process was completed, Modiji did not say anything so that there was no influence. He endured all this silently," he added.

The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the Special Investigation Team's (SIT) clean chit to then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and 63 others in the 2002 riots in the state and dismissed a plea by slain Congress leader Ehsan Jafri's wife Zakia Jafri.

A three-judge bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar upheld the magistrate's order rejecting Zakia Jafri's protest petition against the closure report filed by the SIT in 2012.