Jaitley calls on Modi's detractors to introspect

He said in his speech he noted that it was clear that a misguided mob, comprising members of one community, had set the train compartment on fire in Godhra but a "fraudulent attempt" was made by a section of media and certain NGOs to allege the fire started inside.

He said that a leading national newspaper in the first week of March 2002 published an alleged "interview" of Modi seeking to establish he was rationalizing the violence in Gujarat, quoting him as saying every action has a reaction and the post-Godhra violence was one such reaction.

Jaitey said Modi maintained he had never given any such interview and no reporter from the newspaper had ever met him for the interview.

He said the Gujarat government's statement wasn't published in the next 20 days by the newspaper and finally appeared in the "Letters to Editor" column with a clarification that the "interview was 'created' on basis of comments and replies of the chief minister which had appeared on certain electronic channels".