LONDON: A British Muslim group has deplored fDi magazine's insistence on honoring Narendra Modi, the chief minister of the Indian state of Gujarat.
The fDi had chosen Modi as its Asian Personality of the Year (2009) but faced with opposition and condemnation within and outside India, it has decided to present the award to Gujarat state, rather than the chief minister, the magazine announced on its website.
Chairman of Council of Indian Muslims (CIM-UK) Mohammad Munaf Zeena said: "The decision to confer the Asia fDi award to the state of Gujarat and not to Narendra Modi makes no difference as it is still a tribute to his so-called economic development programs. This is still a blatant insult to the souls of his victims and those who are still waiting for justice to be done.
"Anyone with intelligence will not have any difficulty in concluding that in its second move fDi has gone as far as absolving Modi of the crimes committed by him during 2002 Gujarat genocide and that were confirmed and testified by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the world media. Rarely does one see such an audacity and such insensitivity.
"fDi's decision is as outrageous and as foolish as the praise by a pseudo historian of Hitler's economic and social reforms in Germany."
Zeena said experts have rejected Modi's so-called economic programs as a "failure and sheer propaganda with no significant improvement in the lives of majority of Gujaratis."
"We strongly urge the fDi organizers to reverse their decision and save themselves from the crime of praising and honoring a person who has been recognized as and will go down in history as the 'Butcher of Gujarat'," he said.
