Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has claimed that BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani played a crucial role in saving Narendra Modi’s position as Gujarat Chief Minister during the 2002 riots. Ramesh made the remarks on the sidelines of Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in Mohanpur, Jharkhand.
“In 2002, Advani ji had saved Narendra Modi. The then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had reminded Modi of ‘Raj Dharma’ and wanted to remove him from the post of CM. However, only one person saved him, and that was Advani (at a BJP meeting) in Goa,” said Ramesh.
Referring to Advani’s statement before the 2014 elections, Ramesh added, “Fast forward to Gandhinagar before the 2014 elections, Advani ji had said that Narendra Modi is not his disciple but a brilliant event manager.”
The senior Congress leader reflected on these instances when reacting to the announcement of Bharat Ratna for Advani by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ramesh’s statements have sparked a response from Jharkhand BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo, who said, “In Modi regime, awards are given on the basis of merit. Congress leaders are not able to digest the change and are speaking out of frustration.”
It’s worth noting that Ramesh’s remarks come shortly after Prime Minister Modi announced Bharat Ratna for Lal Krishna Advani, the highest civilian award in the country.
