Modi faced accusations of complicity in the Gujarat riots, with claims of not aiding Muslim neighborhoods under attack. Despite denials, 31 Muslims were convicted, a verdict upheld by the High Court. An investigative team found no prosecutable evidence initially, but questions persisted. It took two decades for the Supreme Court to officially clear Modi of any wrongdoing in 2019. Persistent accusations revolved around the delayed rescue of Muslims during the riots, haunting Modi despite his exoneration.
Narendra Modi is arguably the world’s most popular politician. With nearly 1 billion Indians eligible to vote in a six-week election that concludes on June 4, Modi and his party are expected to win a majority for the third time in a row and extend their decade in power.
But there are also concerns over human rights and religious and press freedoms that many political leaders, CEOs and bankers in the West appear willing to overlook. On our first episode of The Big Take Asia, host K. Oanh Ha and Bloomberg’s Sudhi Ranjan Sen chart how Modi built up so much power over the last several decades – and why he is both a beloved and divisive figure.
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