Bihar’s Governor Arif Mohammed Khan dropped a bombshell during the release of ‘Revolutionary Raj: Narendra Modi’s 25 Years’ by Alok Mehta, admitting he once lambasted Narendra Modi in the aftermath of the 2002 Godhra incident but flipped his stance after immersing himself in Gujarat’s ground reality.
At the Constitution Club event, Khan laid bare his story. Post-Godhra riots, he was firmly in the critic’s camp. ‘If I hadn’t stayed in Gujarat for over four months, talking to diverse communities, I’d still hold that view,’ he confessed.
What changed? Direct encounters exposed the smears against Modi as unfair. ‘He’s among the most wrongly accused leaders,’ Khan asserted. Four months on, his outlook transformed entirely, prompting him to voice support openly.
Khan depicted Modi as unflinching, deliberate, and indefatigable—a man perpetually chasing objectives without respite. The tome details Modi’s ascent from state helm to national leadership, with Amit Shah’s foreword adding weight.
Credit went to Modi for the 2019 triple talaq law, a global first in criminalizing the practice. Khan foresaw universal acclaim for this reform in decades to come.
Dignitaries including Hardeep Singh Puri, Harivansh, N.K. Singh, and K.J. Alphons graced the occasion. Puri touted India’s growth story: from fragile $2 trillion GDP in 2014 to robust $4.3 trillion, vaulting to fourth globally and eyeing third spot soon, per IMF.
This phase, he said, is extraordinary, echoing AI summit’s optimism. Khan’s account challenges entrenched narratives, highlighting empathy and evidence over distant judgments in politics.