Post Modi interview, SP ‘disowns’ Siddiqui, he alleges SP-BJP deal

A couple of days after Shahid Siddiqui's interview with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi made headlines, the Samajwadi Party (SP) on Saturday disowned its former MP, stating that he was never a member of the party.

SP national general secretary and spokesman Ram Gopal Yadav issued a statement telling the media not to regard Siddiqui as an SP member.

A former Rajya Sabha MP and editor-in-chief of Nai Duniya, Siddiqui told The Sunday Express that he didn't expect such an "over-reaction" to the Modi interview in his "wildest of dreams". He also accused the SP of having a "secret deal" with Modi that it was trying to hide.

"The SP has been so close to Kalyan Singh, the person responsible for the demolition of the Babri Masjid, and then the BJP. Modi did not campaign in UP and now they are proposing putting up candidates to divide the Opposition in Gujarat. They are worried that their covert deals may come to the surface. So it is their guilt, making them overreact to my interview. I am not alone in saying this. Several Congressmen have told me this," Siddiqui said.

In the three-page interview to Nai Duniya, Modi had refused to apologise for the post-Godhra riots and said he would prefer to be hanged if found guilty. In an introduction, Siddiqui had clarified that he did not agree with all that the CM had said and promised to come up with an "analysis" soon.

Siddiqui said today that it was not possible for anyone with a "conscience" to survive in most of the political parties today. He also felt he was being targeted as he was a Muslim who did not want to behave only as a totem.

"Most political parties are family enterprises... Even so-called secular parties are not interested in having Muslims who are nationalists or have a voice of their own. That is why there is no leadership amongst Muslims. These parties only want showpiece Muslims who can help get a caste or community's votes so the family running the party can be kept comfortable," he added.

... contd.

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