I don't want Modi as my PM: Amartya Sen


New Delhi, Jul 22 (PTI): Coming out strongly against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen today said he does not want him to become India's prime minister as he does not have secular credentials.

The prominent economist also criticised Modi's model of governance saying he did not approve of it.

"Yes, I don't want him," Sen told CNN-IBN in reply to a question on whether he wanted him as his prime minister.

"As an Indian citizen I don't want Modi as my PM... He has not done enough to make minorities feel safe," he said.

On being asked why he did not want so, Sen said, "He could have first of all been more secular and he could have made the minority community feel more secure."

"No, I don't approve of it... I don't think the record is very good. I think I don't have to be a member of the minority in order to feel insecure... We Indians don't want a situation where the minority feel insecure and could legitimately think that there was an organised violence against them in 2002.

I think that is a terrible record and I don't think Indian Prime Minister as an Indian citizen... Of who has that kind of record. No, I do not."

Sen said physical infrastructure in Gujarat may be good but Modi has not done enough for minorities or for the majority. He also said that the Gujarat model needs to do much more on the health and education sectors and bring equity.

He said Modi could have made the majority community feel that they are not maltreating the minority and going against the long Indian tradition of being tolerant.

"He could have also taken both of the facts that Gujarat record in education and healthcare is pretty bad and he has to concentrate on that... as much as he is concentrating quietly as it has happened on physical infrastructure," the Nobel laureate said.

BJP recently anointed Modi as chairman of its election campaign committee.

  

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Comment on this article

  • KGShenoy, Mangalore/Dubai

    Tue, Jul 23 2013

    Educated people have own judgment based on the wisdom and patience. They have quest for the truth and are honest and non corrupt. You must be thinking that the people with some big degrees and speaks fluently in english language are educated. The qualities of an educated person is the one who knows the difference between the right and the wrong ,justice and injustice, reasonable and unreasonable without established Ideas in mind and mainly with the sportive attitude

    DisAgree [1] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Tue, Jul 23 2013

    Educated people do not want MODI.....

    DisAgree [1] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Narendra Prabhu, Sullia/Bangalore

    Tue, Jul 23 2013

    Cogress has started Identity politics long before the BJPs Birth. It went to peak in the 80s Example is sha bano case. When congress can ask minorities to vote for them based on their religion. There will be someone who appeals Hindu Identity. Coming to uniqueness, list of Indias uniqueness is mile long we can start with "No uniform civil code" .
    Congress is a party standing on the basis of opportunism. That explains their loyalty to one family and corruption

    DisAgree [7] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • harish, dubai

    Tue, Jul 23 2013

    Mr Sen who cares your wants or wish majority of indians wish will prevail

    DisAgree [25] Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ummar, Udupi / Dubai

    Tue, Jul 23 2013

    when all the swamiji poking their nose in politics why not economist ?

    DisAgree [2] Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse

  • KGShenoy, Mangalore/Dubai

    Tue, Jul 23 2013

    Swamiji's interference is not proper. We agree.It does that give license to other unrelated people.Two wrongs does not make one right.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Satish Kumar, mangalore

    Tue, Jul 23 2013

    Mr Amartya Sen,"As an Indian citizen I want Modi as my PM... Please tell me now what is your contribution to my country. I was fed up with last 7 years Congress rule. Daily head line corruption, economy, price rise, pseudo secularism, poor become poor that all. Price rice will not effect you, but people like us suffering. Can you please advise who is your PM candidate... Mulayalam or Mayayathi.

    DisAgree [21] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Vincy, bangkok

    Tue, Jul 23 2013

    Mr.Sen is right,We need Peace first, and then go for development and infrastructure. We all know that Modi had told his men to do whatever they want for first 2-3 days in Gujarat during Godhra incident.
    He may have same plans to the Indian Army and the so called majority so that there could be a bloodshed and the BJP for ever which is a dream only.He really wanted the Hindu’s to take revenge on Muslim for two reasons one was so called train burn incident which is still a mystery and not proved that the Muslim burnt the train. Reason two was anger over Ayodya issue and he wanted the Gujarati voters to realize who is minority and who is majority and he did it and got elected three times.
    Now the whole BJP would like to use the same ‘mantra’ and try its luck.Unfortuenately the country is not just made of Gujarat is but there are other religions that are smart when it comes to choosing who is minority and who is a fellow Indian.
    The entire northern states are controlled by parties who are ‘Hindu’s but consider that all are equal in India irrespective of cast and creed. The religion based politics is played only in India and it is first of its kind in the entire world.
    It is shame that,BJP is fielding a candidate who has failed in respecting human rights and has been continuously punished by the world by not approving his visa to any developed country.
    Why only Modi, why not Sushma,Jaitly,VasundharaRaje,and there are many qualified lawyers in the BJP political party who can be a better BJP candidate for the PM post.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ifthikhar, Mangalore / KSA

    Tue, Jul 23 2013

    Let him be the economist or politician. This is the opinion of a elite Nobel laureate. Educated Indian wants to live and let live.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jaimini P.B., Manipal,Sharjah

    Mon, Jul 22 2013

    Dear Sir..WHY DID YOU SPEND HALF OF YOUR LIFE IN US ? What is your contribution to India ? If you had not received Nobel prize,95% Indians would not have known Amartya Sen..!
    Sir..Please read books of Dr.Kota Shivram Karanth (karnataka),M.T.Vasudevan Nayar,Vaikkam Mohd Basheer(kerala)..then you come to know they stand far ahead of Nobel prize winners..Now pls PM candidate from following list
    1.Mr.Man Mohan
    2.Rahul Gandhi
    3.Chidambram
    4.Diggy
    5.Shinde
    No one is PM material sir..

    DisAgree [16] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Bulsam, Mangalore

    Mon, Jul 22 2013

    Top Economists and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen's comment is another blow to the authoritarian rightist Modi and his downfall.

    DisAgree [6] Agree [32] Reply Report Abuse

  • preetham, abu dhabi

    Mon, Jul 22 2013

    Its your dream Mr rakesh shetty.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [22] Reply Report Abuse

  • Reshmi Salian, Mangalore

    Mon, Jul 22 2013

    OK Mr. Sen. Also let us know who is best suited for PM post now?

    DisAgree [9] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Gurudath, M'lore/Mumbai

    Mon, Jul 22 2013

    It is your opinion Mr.Sen. But instead of speaking only negatively you could have also told whom you prefer as PM.

    DisAgree [24] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Peter Pereira, Pune

    Mon, Jul 22 2013

    Educated people of majority community do not want to see India divided on religion. They want to live and let live. A peaceful co-existence to make our India strong. Only people of lesser knowledge support Modi because they do not know his hidden agenda. Anyhow, every one is free to support his candidate. Let the election decide. Dreaming doesn't cost a penny. Let Modi try his luck and Advani did.

    DisAgree [11] Agree [51] Reply Report Abuse

  • san, india

    Tue, Jul 23 2013

    PPl like u call educated and earn lot of money who can afford to live in india despite of inflation. do u have full knowledge of other indians to who are poorer?? did u read news about china infiltration? u want to live peacefully when enemy countries occupying our motherland?? are U Educated??

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sanil, Mangalore

    Mon, Jul 22 2013

    We need Modi not you Sen. Its people decision not any individuals decision.

    DisAgree [72] Agree [23] Reply Report Abuse

  • KGShenoy, Mangalore/Dubai

    Mon, Jul 22 2013

    Economist talking politics???. Very strange. Why he is not talking about current miserable economic situation of our country? Who actually is responsible for feelings in the minds of minority that they have been ignored? The word secular is used by shameless hypocrites for all these years since Independence for their political gains. What's happening today is totally different from the noble intentions of Mahatma Gandhi and the architect of our constitution Mr. Ambedkar.

    DisAgree [57] Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rakesh shetty, mangalore

    Mon, Jul 22 2013

    BJP HIGH COMMAND DECISION IS FINAL.

    MODIJI WILL LEAD INDIA SOON. JAI HO.

    DisAgree [83] Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse


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