Muslims ready to forget Godhra riot for Narendra Modi: Shia Cleric

Lucknow, Oct 25: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) received a good news ahead of Lok Sabha assembly election. Maulana Kalbe Sadiq, one of the country's tallest Shia clerics, seems to have given green signal to the party's PM candidate -- Narendra Modi in Godhra riot case.

Speaking to NDTV, Sadiq said, "What (Mr Modi) did was wrong, but if he is willing to change then we are also willing to change. My religion says that (if) any criminal expresses regret then we should overlook the mistakes."

Congress and other parties have been targeting Modi and BJP over Godhra riots in which many Muslims were killed in Gujarat in 2002. Asked if Mr Modi should apologise for the riots, the Muslim leader said, "It's childish to demand an apology."

If Narendra Modi is willing to change then we are also willing to change

"He should display in his character and through his actions that he cares for Muslims. If I see that Modi is making changes then I will back him. I can't say this for all Muslims, but I will personally back him," added the cleric.

The general election is expected to be held in 2014 and it seems that Modi may gain more support from Muslims of the country after such statement from Said and other clerics.

OneIndia News