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Modi's removal is no solution: Advani

Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani on Wednesday morning asserted in the Lok Sabha that the removal of Chief Minister Narendra Modi would not resolve the Gujarat issue.

Intervening in the marathon debate on the censure motion, he rejected the opposition charge that the violence and mayhem in Gujarat was engineered by the State and condemned the attack on the Sabarmati Express at Godhra.

"Resignation of Modi will offer no solution," he said, and added that firm steps were necessary to book the guilty and ensure speedy rehabilitation and relief measures.

"Both the Godhra train tragedy and the violence in its aftermath in Ahmedabad, Mehsana and other places is tragic, painful and unfortunate. There should be an end to it as early as possible," he said.

Dismissing the impression that Modi had not acted knowingly, Advani said it was possible that there were shortcomings while dealing with the situation on part of the administration and the police.

"There is no place for revenge in a civilised society," he said while terming the incidents in Gujarat as "barbaric".

Lauding the speech of Minister of State for External Affairs Omar Abdullah, whose National Conference abstained from the voting on the motion, the home minister said: "We should not be scoring points. We should be giving a direction to the country."

Advani said the government's sustained efforts against continued Pakistan-backed cross-border terrorism and proxy war had exposed Islamabad before the international community especially after the September 11 terrorist attack in the United States.

Stating that the Gujarat violence had tarnished the country's image, he reminded the Opposition that Pakistan was taking advantage of the situation.

PTI

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