PM Modi Narrates Events Leading Up To Gujarat Riots: 'Major Terrorist Attacks Within 8-10 Months'

Last Updated:March 16, 2025, 20:49 IST

PM Narendra Modi discussed the 2002 Godhra train burning and subsequent Gujarat riots with Lex Fridman, detailing the tense atmosphere due to prior terrorist attacks and the 2001 Gujarat earthquake

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Lex Fridman podcast. (YouTube)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened up about the tragic 2002 Godhra train burning incident and the subsequent riots in Gujarat during an interview with US-based AI researcher and podcast host Lex Fridman. He listed the events leading up to the riots and talked about the atmosphere in the country at that time.

“I’d like to paint you a clearer picture of the 12 to 15 months leading up to that, so you can fully understand the atmosphere of that time. For instance, take December 24, 1999, roughly three years earlier, an Indian flight from Kathmandu to Delhi was hijacked, redirected to Afghanistan, and landed in Kandahar. Hundreds of Indian passengers were held hostage. It caused massive turmoil across India as people faced life and death uncertainty," PM Modi said.

“Then, in the year 2000, the Red Fort in Delhi was attacked by terrorists. Yet another crisis struck the nation, intensifying fear and turmoil. On September 11th, 2001, the Twin Towers in America faced a devastating terror attack, once again shocking the entire world. Because ultimately, the people behind these attacks are driven by a similar mindset. Then in October 2001, terrorists attacked the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. Soon after, on December 13th, 2001, India’s parliament was targeted," he said.

PM Modi explained that within just eight to 10 months, major global terrorist attacks took place that led to bloodshed and the loss of innocent lives.

“In such a tense environment, even the smallest spark can ignite unrest. The situation had already become extremely volatile. In such times, suddenly, on October 7th, 2001, I was given the responsibility of becoming chief minister of Gujarat. This was an enormous challenge," he said.

Gujarat Earthquake

PM Modi also referred to the 7.7 magnitude Gujarat earthquake in 2001 that killed 20,000 people and injured more than 150,000 others.

He said, “At that time, Gujarat was recovering from a devastating earthquake, the largest of the previous century, which had left thousands dead. My first major task as chief minister was overseeing the rehabilitation of survivors. This was a crucial task, and from day one after my oath, I immersed myself in it. I was a person who had absolutely no prior experience with government. I had never been part of any administration, never even served in government before. I had never contested an election, never even been a state representative. For the first time in my life, I had to face elections."

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