Prominent Indian journalist Rana Ayyub has deplored that Indian PrimeMinister Narendra Modi whose hands are stained with the blood of 2,000Muslims in Gujarat has taken away the presidency of G-20.
Rana Ayyub who received the prestigious John Aubuchon award conferred onher by the National Press Club of Washington, the Club’s highest honour forpress freedom, this month, in her speech on the occasion introduced thepresent-day India to the world by saying, “220 million Muslim population ison the cusp of genocide” and added that “the free press is under attack inIndia”.
She dedicated it “to my colleagues Mohammad Zubair, Siddique Kappan, andAsif Sultan incarcerated for speaking truth to power”, reported KMS.
In her speech, she said, “To begin with, it is a huge honour for me, and Iwould like to thank Washington Post for having my back at a time whenjournalists and editors in India, where I worked and held top positions,which did not exist post 2014 when Modi became Prime Minister of India.”
She also criticized the US government’s lenient approach towards theButcher of Gujarat, Narendra Modi and said, “When I am in the US, I meet USState Department and other top-ranking officials. They tell me we know whatis happening in India, but bilateral relationship vis-à-vis China andRussia ….human rights be damned…journalists be damned.”
Rana Ayyub said that the man they have put on the cover [title page] of TheEconomist and The Time is a man who has blood on his hands. He has [bloodon his hands]. In 2002, 2,000 Muslims were massacred in a span of two daysand Mr Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat.”
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“We never even thought as a joke that Mr Modi would become Prime Ministerof India and the US would not allow entry this man to the country. Now lookat him. He has just taken away the presidency of G-20,” she deplored.
“I happen to be a Muslim and a woman. How dare I speak? … Thank you formaking me feel less alone and isolated.” She further added.
Ayyub, 37, began as an investigative journalist and wrote a book accusingPM Modi of being complicit in deadly sectarian violence in Gujarat in 2002,when he was state chief minister.
