What was the most painful moment of life? PM Modi said – When America canceled the visa, I took a resolution

New Delhi: In the podcast of Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of online trading platform Zerodha, PM Modi talked about the issue of America’s refusal to grant visa. He said that the US officials had taken the decision to deny him a visa on the basis of ‘lies’ spread by some people and he was unhappy with this because it was an insult to the democratically elected government and the entire country.

Nikhil Kamath had asked PM Modi when he had suffered the most in his life? In response to this, PM Modi said, ‘You asked what was the most painful moment for me, then it was when America canceled my visa. Visiting America as a private person was not important for me. But I was the Chief Minister, leading a democratically elected government and this (refusal to grant visa by America) was an insult to the democratically elected government and the country. It bothered me. Some people had spread lies. But when I addressed a press conference, I had taken a resolution… I had said that I am envisioning a day when people will stand in queue for Indian visa.’

Today is India’s time: PM Modi
PM Modi further said, ‘That was a difficult time in my life and I was shocked. Then a lot of things improved, but I always maintained my resolution. I had said this in 2005… because I could clearly see that India’s time is about to come. Today we are standing in 2025. Now the time is India’s. Today I feel happy when I go to other countries and see a different image of India in the minds of people. I see that they also want to come to India. They see business and other opportunities for themselves in India.’ He said that I always work thinking about the future.

In the month of February 2002, hundreds of karsevaks were returning to Gujarat from Ayodhya by boarding the Sabarmati Express. When the train reached Godhra railway station on 27 February, its coach number S-6 was set on fire. In this incident, 59 karsevaks were burnt to death. After this, communal riots broke out in Gujarat. The US had refused to give visa to the then Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi on the basis of allegations of not making any effort to stop the communal riots. However, Narendra Modi was acquitted of all charges in the Supreme Court-monitored investigation of the 2002 Gujarat riots. When he became the Prime Minister of India in 2014, the US renewed his visa.

PM Modi recalled the Godhra incident
PM Modi also talked about the Sabarmati Express arson incident in Nikhil Kamath’s podcast. PM Modi said, ‘On 24 February 2002, I became an MLA for the first time and on 27 February I went to the Assembly. I was a three-day-old MLA when such an incident happened in Godhra. We first got the news of the train catching fire, then gradually we started getting reports of casualties. I was in the House and I was worried. As soon as I came out, I said I wanted to go to Godhra. There was only one helicopter there. I think it was ONGC’s, but they said that since it is a single-engine helicopter, they cannot allow any VIP to go in it. We argued and I said I will be responsible for whatever happens. I will give it in writing.’

He further said, ‘I reached Godhra… it was a painful scene. There were dead bodies everywhere, but I knew I was in a position where I had to rise above my emotions. I did whatever I could to control myself.’ PM Modi said during the podcast that humans can make mistakes, but it should not be intentional. He said, ‘When I became the CM, in one of my speeches I had said that I will leave no stone unturned in my efforts. Secondly, I will not do anything for myself. Thirdly, I am a human being, I can make mistakes, but I will not make mistakes with bad intentions. I made them the mantra of my life. It is natural to make mistakes, after all I am also a human being, I am not God. But I will not do anything wrong intentionally.