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99-502: Angavastra is a simple loose garment, usually paired or matching with dhoti color, draped over the shoulders. It is a traditional wear of South India and a profound fashion statement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wore karai veshti dhoti , kurta , and angavastram, the traditional attire during his visit to Arjuna's Penance, Krishna's Butterball , the Pancha Rathas , and Shore Temple . A weaver from Varanasi designed and wove

198-638: A Secondary School Certificate in 1972 or 1974, completing teacher's training in 1976 and becoming a teacher in 1978. From 1978 to 1990, she taught in Banaskantha district . In 1991, she moved to Rajosana village, where she now remains. She is retired and her pension is ₹ 14,000 (US$ 170) per month. One commentator said that her low salary would have made much of life a hardship for her. Talking about her relationship with Modi, in one interview Jashodaben said "We have never been in touch... There has been no communication from his end to this day." In

297-698: A state of emergency in India that lasted until 1977. During this period, known as "the Emergency", many of her political opponents were jailed and opposition groups were banned. Modi was appointed general secretary of the "Gujarat Lok Sangharsh Samiti", an RSS committee coordinating opposition to the Emergency in Gujarat. Shortly afterwards, the RSS was banned. Modi was forced to go underground in Gujarat and frequently travelled in disguise to avoid arrest, once dressing as

396-405: A 2014 textbook by Dinanath Batra , which made the unscientific claim that ancient India possessed technologies including test-tube babies . Modi's relationship with Muslims continued to attract criticism. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee distanced himself, reaching out to North Indian Muslims before the 2004 Indian general election , following which, Vajpayee called the violence in Gujarat

495-743: A brief break from politics in 1992 to establish a school in Ahmedabad, and due to friction with Shankersinh Vaghela , a BJP MP from Gujarat. Modi returned to electoral politics in 1994, partly at the insistence of Advani; as party secretary, Modi's electoral strategy was considered central to the BJP victory in the 1995 state assembly election . In November of that year, Modi was appointed BJP national secretary and transferred to New Delhi, where he assumed responsibility for party activities in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh . The following year, Shankersinh Vaghela,

594-541: A child in his father's tea business on the Vadnagar railway station platform, according to Modi and his neighbours. Modi completed his higher secondary education in Vadnagar in 1967; his teachers described him as an average student and a keen, gifted debater with an interest in theatre. He preferred playing larger-than-life characters in theatrical productions, which has influenced his political image. When Modi

693-543: A group of activists and security professionals visited Jashodaben at her home. They offered to escort her on the Char Dham pilgrimage, which was a trip which she had long wanted to take. During the trip, they took her to the ashram of Swami Ramdev in Rishikesh , Uttarakhand . Journalists sought Jashodaben for comment at the news of the marriage, but her family told them that she would return home soon. To contest

792-532: A large number of people, something he repeated in the 2014 general election. Modi won the constituency of Maninagar, defeating Shweta Bhatt of the INC. The BJP won 115 of the 182 seats, continuing its majority during his tenure. After his election as Prime Minister of India , Modi resigned as the Gujarat chief minister and as MLA for Maninagar. Anandiben Patel succeeded Modi as chief minister. As chief minister, Modi favoured privatisation and small government , which

891-477: A later interview Jashodaben said that until 1987, she and Modi spoke "normally". Jashodaben lives with her brother Ashok and his wife in Unjha . Jashodaben survived a fatal car wreck in 2018. Rumours had long been circulating that Modi was actually married. In 1992, Jashodaben refused to be interviewed by the newspaper Abhiyan when that publication presented a story on the marriage of her and Modi. Darshan Desai,

990-620: A lawsuit to be heard by the Allahabad High Court complaining, among other things, that Modi did not give the permanent account number of Jashodaben. The estrangement of Jashodaben and Modi has been discussed in the context of a broader trend in India that politicians may have more success if they are known for not having ties to a spouse. The RSS , which gives Modi political support, values celibacy in its senior leadership but contrarian tones have been noted. Many Congress party politicians have criticised Modi's treatment of

1089-415: A majoritarian and exclusionary social agenda. Narendra Damodardas Modi was born on 17 September 1950 to a Gujarati Hindu family of Other Backward Class (OBC) background in Vadnagar , Mehsana district , Bombay State (present-day Gujarat ). He was the third of six children born to Damodardas Mulchand Modi ( c.  1915–1989 ) and Hiraben Modi (1923–2022). Modi had infrequently worked as

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1188-421: A monk and once as a Sikh . He became involved in the printing of pamphlets opposing the government, sending them to Delhi and organising demonstrations. He was also involved with creating a network of safe houses for individuals who were wanted by the government, and in raising funds for political refugees and activists. During this period, Modi wrote a Gujarati-language book titled Sangharsh Ma Gujarat ( In

1287-482: A part of the campaign; BJP leaders used Hindutva-based rhetoric in several states. Communal tensions were played upon, especially in Uttar Pradesh and Northeast India . A proposal for the controversial Uniform Civil Code was a part of the BJP's election manifesto. The BJP's campaign was assisted by its wide influence in the media. Modi's campaign blitz cost around ₹ 50 billion (US$ 600 million) and

1386-446: A passport in order to visit relatives and friends overseas. As she was unable to produce a marriage certificate or a joint affidavit from her husband, the application was rejected by the regional passport office as "incomplete". Her brother Ashok stated that a legal option was being considered. I am surrounded by five security guards all the time. Often my relatives or I have to cook for them, my sister-in-law has to make their beds. This

1485-471: A plant manufacturing the Nano car after popular agitation had forced the company to move out of West Bengal . Following Tata, several other companies relocated to Gujarat. The Modi government finished the process of taking electricity to every village in Gujarat its predecessor had almost completed. Modi significantly changed the state's system of power distribution, greatly impacting farmers. Gujarat expanded

1584-596: A political war. In 1978, Modi received a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in political science from the School of Open Learning at the Delhi University . In 1983, he received a Master of Arts (MA) degree in political science from Gujarat University , graduating with a first class as an external distance learning student. There is a controversy surrounding the authenticity of his BA and MA degrees. In June 1975, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared

1683-533: A prominent BJP leader from Gujarat, defected to the Indian National Congress after losing his parliamentary seat in the Lok Sabha election. Modi, who was on the selection committee for the 1998 Gujarat Legislative Assembly election , favoured supporters of BJP leader Keshubhai Patel over those supporting Vaghela to end factional division in the party. His strategy was credited as central to

1782-571: A reason for the BJP's electoral defeat and said it had been a mistake to leave Modi in office after the riots. Western nations also raised questions about Modi's relationship with Muslims: the US State Department barred him from entering the United States in accordance with the recommendations of that country's Commission on International Religious Freedom , the only person to be denied a US visa under this law. The UK and

1881-481: A relatively poor record on human development, poverty relief, nutrition and education during Modi's tenure. In 2013, Gujarat ranked 13th in India with respect to rates of poverty, and 21st in education. Nearly 45 per cent of children under five were underweight and 23 per cent were undernourished, putting the state in the "alarming" category on the India State Hunger Index . A study by UNICEF and

1980-480: A reporter for The Indian Express , located Jashodaben in May 2002, but she and others in her village had refused to speak to him and he was told to leave the town. In 2009, it was reported that Modi's political enemies had discovered her teaching at a school and living in a one-room tenement . Modi himself did not quite deny that she was his wife, although he did not explicitly acknowledge it either. Her marriage to Modi

2079-466: A special silk angavastram incorporating Buddhist mantras for Narendra Modi. The angavastram, a traditional garment worn by men in parts of South India and Maharashtra, has a long history rooted in Indian culture. This unstitched, rectangular piece of fabric is draped over the torso and shoulder, serving practical and symbolic purposes. The origins of the angavastram can be traced back to ancient times. It

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2178-502: A train with several hundred passengers burned near Godhra , killing approximately 60 people. The train carried a large number of Hindu pilgrims who were returning from Ayodhya after a religious ceremony at the site of the demolished Babri Masjid . In a public statement, Modi said local Muslims were responsible for the incident. The next day, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad called for a bandh (general strike) across

2277-428: A wife. Sombhai Modi, Narendra Modi's brother, issued a statement saying that the arranged marriage had been forced on Modi by his family. He said that the marriage was never consummated, and that Modi left it soon after it was solemnized. His brother further said that Modi had been inspired by the teachings of Swami Vivekananda to work for the nation and society. Before Modi officially acknowledged his marriage,

2376-516: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Narendra Modi Chief Ministership Premiership ( Timeline ) Budgets Campaigns Missions Establishments and foundations Events and observances Military and rescue operations Treaties and accords Establishments and foundations Events and observances Military and rescue operations Treaties and accords Controversies [REDACTED] Narendra Damodardas Modi (born 17 September 1950)

2475-581: Is a bit annoying... You see, it gets really chaotic when I have to travel, because I use public transport and the guards are following me in an air-conditioned car. Jashodaben, to Reuters , November 2014 From May 2014, police from the Mehsana district began providing continual police protection for Jashodaben. The security agent team following her was assigned as a response to the Special Protection Group Act, which says that

2574-645: Is an Indian politician who is serving as the Prime Minister of India since 26 May 2014. Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the member of parliament (MP) for Varanasi . He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a right-wing Hindu nationalist paramilitary volunteer organisation. He is the longest-serving prime minister outside

2673-415: Is believed to have evolved from the uttariya , a similar garment worn around the shoulders or waist, as evidenced by sculptures found at historical sites such as Sanchi and Amaravati. The word "angavastram" is derived from Sanskrit , meaning "cloth for the body," reflecting its fundamental purpose. Historically, the angavastram was typically made of handspun cotton yarn, crafted using simple machinery. With

2772-421: The 2009 Indian general election , the BJP intensified its rhetoric on terrorism. Modi criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh "for his reluctance to revive anti-terror legislation" such as the 2002 Prevention of Terrorism Act . In 2007, Modi wrote Karmayog , a 101-page booklet discussing manual scavenging. In it, he said scavenging is a "spiritual experience" for Valmiks , a sub-caste of Dalits . The book

2871-682: The 2019 Balakot airstrike against an alleged terrorist training camp in Pakistan. The airstrike failed, but the action had nationalist appeal. Modi's party won the 2019 general election which followed. In its second term, his administration revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir , and introduced the Citizenship Amendment Act , prompting widespread protests , and spurring the 2020 Delhi riots in which Muslims were brutalised and killed by Hindu mobs. Three controversial farm laws led to sit-ins by farmers across

2970-832: The Belur Math near Kolkata , the Advaita Ashrama in Almora and the Ramakrishna Mission in Rajkot . His stays at each ashram were brief because he lacked the required college education. Vivekananda has had a large influence in Modi's life. In mid 1968, Modi reached Belur Math but was turned away, after which he visited Calcutta , West Bengal and Assam , stopping in Siliguri and Guwahati . He then went to

3069-669: The European Union (EU) refused to admit Modi because of what they saw as his role in the riots. As Modi rose to prominence in India, the UK and the EU lifted their bans in October 2012 and March 2013, respectively, and after his election as prime minister in 2014, the US lifted its ban and invited him to Washington, D.C. During the run-up to the 2007 Gujarat Legislative Assembly election and

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3168-449: The Indian National Congress . Modi was born and raised in Vadnagar in northeastern Gujarat , where he completed his secondary education. He was introduced to the RSS at the age of eight. At the age of 18, he was married to Jashodaben Modi , whom he abandoned soon after, only publicly acknowledging her four decades later when legally required to do so. Modi became a full-time worker for the RSS in Gujarat in 1971. The RSS assigned him to

3267-530: The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 , Modi left his uncle's employment and became a full-time pracharak (campaigner) for the RSS, working under Inamdar. Shortly before the war, Modi took part in a non-violent protest in New Delhi against the Indian government, for which he was arrested; because of this arrest, Inamdar decided to mentor Modi. According to Modi, he was part of a Satyagraha that led to

3366-476: The Jyotigram Yojana scheme, in which agricultural electricity was separated from other rural electricity; the agricultural electricity was rationed to fit scheduled irrigation demands, reducing its cost. Early protests by farmers ended when those who benefitted found their electricity supply had stabilised but, according to an assessment study, corporations and large farmers benefited from the policy at

3465-587: The Mahalakshmi Temple and the Siddhivinayak Temple . In December 2014, a writer for Pakistani news agency Dawn News said that not many newspapers have had the courage to report the troubles which Jashodaben has experienced. In February 2015, Jashodaben hosted some Christian missionaries who invited her to join their mission to help many destitute and helpless Hindus by teaching Gita and Ramayana to them. In June 2015, Jashodaben

3564-476: The Prime Minister of India . The couple were married in 1968 when she was about 17 and Modi was 18. A short time into the marriage, they separated. He did not acknowledge the marriage publicly until he was legally required to do so prior to the 2014 Indian general elections to the Lok Sabha . In 2015, Jashodaben Modi retired from her teaching job. Jashodaben was born in 1952. Her mother died when she

3663-506: The Ramakrishna Ashram in Almora , where he was again rejected, before returning to Gujarat via Delhi and Rajasthan in 1968 to 1969. In either late 1969 or early 1970, he returned to Vadnagar for a brief visit before leaving again for Ahmedabad , where he lived with his uncle and worked in his uncle's canteen at Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation . In Ahmedabad, Modi renewed his acquaintance with Inamdar, who

3762-463: The Supreme Court of India in 2012 found no evidence to initiate prosecution proceedings against him. While his policies as chief minister were credited for encouraging economic growth, his administration was criticised for failing to significantly improve health, poverty and education indices in the state. In the 2014 Indian general election , Modi led the BJP to a parliamentary majority,

3861-633: The Supreme Court of India reopened several cases related to the riots, including that of the Gulbarg Society massacre , and established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the issue. In response to a petition from Zakia Jafri, the widow of Ehsan Jafri , who was killed in the Gulbarg Society massacre, in April 2009, the court also asked the SIT to investigate Modi's complicity in

3960-486: The University of Delhi announced its decision to use angavastrams for its 99th convocation ceremony, citing a desire to move away from colonial influences. Despite its long history, the basic design and purpose of the angavastram have remained largely unchanged. It continues to be an important symbol of Indian culture, representing both tradition and practicality in modern times. This clothing -related article

4059-566: The death of Sohrabuddin Sheikh . The BJP did not nominate any Muslim candidates for the 2012 assembly election. During the 2012 campaign, Modi attempted to identify himself with the state of Gujarat, a strategy similar to that used by Indira Gandhi during the Emergency, and projected himself as protecting Gujarat against persecution by the rest of India. While campaigning for the 2012 Gujarat Legislative Assembly election, Modi made extensive use of holograms and other technologies, allowing him to reach

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4158-480: The earthquake in Bhuj in 2001 . The BJP national leadership sought a new candidate for the chief ministership, and Modi, who had expressed misgivings about Patel's administration, was chosen as a replacement. Advani did not want to ostracise Patel and was concerned about Modi's lack of experience in government. Modi declined an offer to become Patel's deputy chief minister , telling Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee he

4257-484: The spouse of the Prime Minister of India should receive police protection. The Salaries and Allowances of Ministers' Act describes other benefits which are typically given to spouses of prime ministers. In November 2014, Jashodaben filed a Right to Information Act (RTI) request seeking details about her security and rights as the spouse of the prime minister. Various media organizations in India reported

4356-508: The 1990s, before Modi took office; some scholars have stated growth did not much accelerate during his tenure. Under Modi, Gujarat topped the World Bank 's "ease of doing business" rankings among Indian states for two consecutive years. In 2013, a report measuring governance, growth, citizens' rights, and labour and business regulation among the country's 20 largest states, ranked Gujarat first among Indian states for "economic freedom". In

4455-539: The BJP in 1985 and he rose through the party hierarchy, becoming general secretary in 1998. In 2001, Modi was appointed Chief Minister of Gujarat and elected to the legislative assembly soon after. His administration is considered complicit in the 2002 Gujarat riots , and has been criticised for its management of the crisis. According to official records, a little over 1,000 people were killed, three-quarters of whom were Muslim; independent sources estimated 2,000 deaths, mostly Muslim. A Special Investigation Team appointed by

4554-411: The BJP received extensive financial support from corporate donors. In addition to more-conventional campaign methods, Modi made extensive use of social media and addressed more than 1,000 rallies via hologram appearances. Jashodaben Modi Jashodaben Narendrabhai Modi ( née Chimanlal Modi ; born 1952) is a retired Indian school teacher. She is the estranged wife of Narendra Modi ,

4653-407: The BJP winning an overall majority in the 1998 election, and Modi was promoted to BJP general secretary (organisation) in May of that year. In 2001, Keshubhai Patel 's health was failing, and the BJP lost a few state assembly seats in by-elections . Allegations of abuse of power, corruption and poor administration were made, and Patel's standing had been damaged by his administration's handling of

4752-518: The BJP's Gujarat unit. As a teenager, he was enrolled in the National Cadet Corps . In a custom traditional to Narendra Modi's caste, his family arranged a betrothal to Jashodaben Chimanlal Modi , leading to their marriage when she was 17 and he was 18. Soon afterwards, he abandoned his wife, and left home. The couple never divorced but the marriage was not in his public pronouncements for many decades. In April 2014, shortly before

4851-452: The BJP's candidate for prime minister ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election . Several BJP leaders, including BJP founding member L. K. Advani who cited concern with leaders who were "concerned with their personal agendas", expressed opposition to Modi's candidature. Modi played a dominant role in the BJP's 2009 general election campaign. Several people who voted for the BJP stated they would have voted for another party if Modi had not been

4950-534: The BJP's shift away from explicit Hindutva, Modi's campaigns in 2007 and 2012 Gujarat Legislative Assembly elections contained elements of Hindu nationalism. He attended only Hindu religious ceremonies and had prominent associations with Hindu religious leaders. During his 2012 campaign, Modi twice refused to wear skullcap gifted by Muslim leaders. He did, however, maintain relations with Dawoodi Bohra . Modi's 2012 campaign included references to issues known to cause religious polarisation, including Afzal Guru and

5049-683: The Indian government found Gujarat under Modi had a poor record in immunisation of children. From 2001 to 2011, Gujarat did not change its position relative to the rest of the country with respect to poverty and female literacy, remaining near the median of the 29 Indian states. It showed a marginal improvement in rates of infant mortality and its position with respect to individual consumption declined. The quality of education in government schools in Gujarat ranked below that of many Indian states. The state government's social policies generally did not benefit Muslims, Dalits and Adivasis , and generally increased social inequalities. Development in Gujarat

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5148-436: The RSS's history of the Emergency. Shortly after, he returned to Gujarat and in 1985, the RSS assigned him to the BJP. In 1987, Modi helped organise the BJP's campaign in the Ahmedabad municipal election, which the party won comfortably; according to biographers, Modi's planning was responsible for the win. After L. K. Advani became president of the BJP in 1986, the RSS decided to place its members in important positions within

5247-449: The RTI in different ways, including emphasizing Jashodaben's fear, the financial implications of her complaint, the guards' demands to be treated as guests, or the case as an example of female independence. Jashodaben has said that her security guards have refused to show any identification or to say on whose orders they have been assigned to her, and have suggested she refrain from talking with

5346-568: The Struggles of Gujarat ), which describes events during the Emergency. While in this role, Modi met trade unionist and socialist activist George Fernandes and several other national political figures. Modi became an RSS sambhag pracharak (regional organiser) in 1978, overseeing activities in Surat and Vadodara , and in 1979, he went to work for the RSS in Delhi, where he researched and wrote

5445-470: The case to be closed. Zakia Jafri filed a protest petition in response. In December 2013, the magistrate's court rejected the protest petition, accepting the SIT's finding there was no evidence against Modi. In 2022, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition by Zakia Jafri in which she challenged the clean chit given to Modi in the riots by the SIT, and upheld previous rulings that no evidence against him

5544-446: The country and will go as and where I please; what will you do following me?" When I came to Vadnagar to live with his family, he told me "Why did you come to your in-laws' house when you are still so young, you must instead focus on pursuing your studies." The decision to leave was my own and there was never any conflict between us. He never spoke to me about the RSS or about his political leanings. When he told me he would be moving around

5643-503: The country as he wished, I told him I would like to join him. However, on many occasions when I went to my in-laws' place, he would not be present and he stopped coming there. He used to spend a lot of time in RSS shakhas. So I too stopped going there after a point and I went back to my father's house. Jashodaben said that she spent a total of about three months with her husband during a three-year period before their final separation. Jashodaben continued with her professional life, receiving

5742-675: The country, eventually causing their formal repeal. Modi oversaw India's response to the COVID-19 pandemic , during which, according to the World Health Organization 's estimates, 4.7 million Indians died. In the 2024 general election , Modi's party lost its majority in the lower house of Parliament and formed a government leading the National Democratic Alliance coalition. Under Modi's tenure, India has experienced democratic backsliding , or

5841-405: The creation of groundwater-conservation projects. By December 2008, 500,000 structures had been built, of which 113,738 were check dams , which helped recharge the aquifers beneath them. Sixty of the 112 tehsils which had depleted the water table in 2004 had regained their normal groundwater levels by 2010. As a result, the state's production of genetically modified cotton increased to become

5940-515: The criticism of his government for human rights violations as an attack upon Gujarati pride, a strategy that led to the BJP winning 127 of the 182 seats—a two-thirds majority—in the state assembly. He won Maninagar constituency , defeating Congress candidate Yatin Oza. On 22 December 2002, Modi was sworn in for a second term. During Modi's second term, the government's rhetoric shifted from Hindutva to Gujarat's economic development. He curtailed

6039-688: The election, Modi's political opponents criticised his evasions of facts about his marriage on official documents. Nishant Varma, a citizen of Ahmedabad , sought criminal charges against Modi for having failed to acknowledge his legal wife and forge previous election documents as against prescribed rules of the Representation of the People Act. The case is subjected to revision in the Supreme Court of India . The lower court pronounced Modi as not guilty of any criminal offense under this Act. In summer 2014, Congress party politician Ajay Rai filed

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6138-448: The estrangement of his wife. Jashodaben has made numerous media appearances, particularly in recent years. In February 2014, a reporter for The Indian Express interviewed her. It was reported in April 2014 that she does not speak ill of her husband, and does not tolerate when others do so. In May 2014, TV9 Gujarat interviewed her on video. In June 2014, at what has been described as "her first public event", Jashodaben attended

6237-405: The expense of small farmers and labourers. A contentious debate surrounds the assessment of Gujarat's economic development during Modi's tenure as chief minister. The state's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate averaged 10% during his tenure, a rate similar to those of other highly industrialised states, and above that of India as a whole. Gujarat also had a high rate of economic growth in

6336-462: The first for a party since 1984 . His administration increased direct foreign investment , and reduced spending on healthcare, education, and social-welfare programmes. Modi began a high-profile sanitation campaign , controversially initiated a demonetisation of banknotes and introduced the Goods and Services Tax , and weakened or abolished environmental and labour laws. Modi's administration launched

6435-525: The industrialization of the textile industry, production methods evolved. While cotton remains popular for everyday wear, silk angavastrams are often used for religious and formal occasions. The use of raw matka silk is particularly preferred for religious leaders and practitioners. In recent years, the angavastram has gained recognition beyond its traditional contexts. Some educational institutions in India have adopted it as part of their convocation attire, replacing colonial-era black robes. For example, in 2023,

6534-562: The influence of Sangh Parivar organisations such as Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). When the BKS staged a farmers' demonstration, Modi ordered the BKS's eviction from state-provided houses, and his decision to demolish 200 illegal temples in Gandhinagar deepened the rift with the VHP. Modi retained connections with some Hindu nationalists. He wrote a foreword to

6633-468: The issue. As a result of this broadcast, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting chastised staff at Doordashan and transferred the director of the broadcast from Ahmedabad to Port Blair 2,500 km away. On 6 February Jashodaben's request was again denied, and again addressed to "Jashodaben, Chimanlal Modi's daughter". In May 2015, Jashodaben filed a third request for the information about

6732-564: The killings. The SIT questioned Modi in March 2010; in May, it presented to the court a report finding no evidence against him. In July 2011, the court-appointed amicus curiae Raju Ramachandran submitted his final report to the court. Contrary to the SIT's position, Ramachandran said Modi could be prosecuted based on the available evidence. The Supreme Court sent the matter to the magistrate's court. The SIT examined Ramachandran's report, and in March 2012 submitted its final report, asking for

6831-499: The largest in India. The boom in cotton production and its semi-arid land use led to Gujarat's agricultural sector growing at an average rate of 9.6 per cent from 2001 to 2007. Public irrigation measures in central and southern Gujarat, such as the Sardar Sarovar Dam , were less successful. The Sardar Sarovar project irrigated only 4–6% of the area intended. In 2008, Modi offered land in Gujarat to Tata Motors to set up

6930-422: The later years of Modi's government, Gujarat's economic growth was frequently used as an argument to counter allegations of communalism. Tax breaks and land for businesses were easier to obtain in Gujarat than in other states. Modi's policies of making Gujarat attractive for investment included the creation of Special Economic Zones in which labour laws were greatly weakened. Despite its growth rate, Gujarat had

7029-536: The media. The Gulf News reported that her security guards are primarily with her to conduct surveillance on her. Jashodaben's family has complained that her guards do not carry any identity cards, refuse to identify themselves, and refuse to name the person or office supervising them. In December, the Intelligence Bureau denied her request for information about orders, saying that the law has an exemption which applies in this case. Jashodaben uses

7128-540: The name "Jashodaben Narendrabhai Modi", which is her married name. The letter was addressed to "Jashodaben, daughter of Chimanlal Modi" (her father's name). At the end of December 2014, Jashodaben filed an appeal to the refusal. In addition to the appeal, Jashodaben complained that the government officers changed her name from "Jashodaben Narendrabhai Modi" to her maiden name "Jashodaben Chimanlal Modi". Doordarshan , India's public television broadcaster, presented Jashodaben on television 1 January 2015 to hear her comments on

7227-482: The national election in which he gained power, Modi publicly affirmed he was married and that his spouse was Jashodaben. A Modi biographer wrote that Modi kept the marriage a secret because he would not have been able to become a pracharak in the RSS, for which celibacy had once been a requirement. Modi spent the following two years travelling across northern and north-eastern India. In interviews, he has described visiting Hindu ashrams founded by Swami Vivekananda :

7326-540: The opposition leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that Modi received cash bribes worth ₹ 65 crore (US$ 7.8 million) from Sahara Group and Aditya Birla Group when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. In November 2016, advocate Prashant Bhushan had filed a plea in the Supreme Court of India asking for investigation of the alleged bribe payments made to some senior public servants including Modi. A Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Arun Kumar Mishra dismissed

7425-402: The party; Modi's work during the Ahmedabad election led to his selection for this role. Modi was elected organising secretary of the BJP's Gujarat unit later in 1987. Modi rose within the party and was named a member of its National Election Committee in 1990, helping organise Advani's Ram Rath Yatra in 1990 and Murli Manohar Joshi 's 1991–1992 Ekta Yatra (Journey for Unity). Modi took

7524-524: The plea in January 2017 stating that the evidence provided was insufficient. Later on, Justice Mishra was criticised by a section of advocates and activists for siding with the Modi government in multiple judgements during his tenure at the Supreme Court. The Wire questioned the manner in which the Supreme Court buried the Sahara-Birla diaries' investigation. In September 2013, Modi was named

7623-560: The prime-ministerial candidate. The focus on Modi as an individual was unusual for a BJP election campaign. The election was described as a referendum on Narendra Modi. During the campaign, Modi focused on corruption scandals under the previous Congress government, and played on his image as a politician who had created a high rate of GDP growth in Gujarat. He projected himself as a person who could bring about "development" without focusing on specific policies. His message found support among young and middle-class people. The BJP under Modi

7722-413: The public funeral of politician Gopinath Munde . Jashodaben said that she was not invited to the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi , but had she been invited, she would have gone. "I wish to be with him. If he calls me, I am eager to start a new life with him. But it has to be he who calls," she said in 2014. In November 2014, she made her first trip to Mumbai, where she prayed for her husband at

7821-536: The security detail and their orders. She also complained that she had completed the forms using her legal name, "Jashodaben Narendrabhai Modi", but the government office replied to her using her maiden name. In response to the filing, a government representative said, "If they are still not satisfied by the information given by the first appellate authority, they can file the second appeal at the Gujarat Information Commission." In response to

7920-505: The state. Riots began during the bandh and anti-Muslim violence spread through Gujarat. The government's decision to move the bodies of the train victims from Godhra to Ahmedabad further inflamed the violence. The state government later stated 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus were killed during the riots; independent sources put the death toll at over 2,000, the vast majority of them Muslims. Approximately 150,000 people were driven to refugee camps. Numerous women and children were among

8019-494: The victims; the violence included mass rapes and mutilation of women. Scholars consider the Government of Gujarat to have been complicit in the riots, and it has received much criticism for its handling of the situation; some scholars explicitly blame Modi. The Modi government imposed a curfew in 26 major cities, issued shoot-at-sight orders and called for the army to patrol the streets; these measures failed to prevent

8118-483: The violence from escalating. The president of the state unit of the BJP expressed support for the bandh despite such actions being illegal at the time. State officials later prevented riot victims from leaving the refugee camps, which were often unable to meet the needs of those living there. Muslim victims of the riots were subjected to further discrimination when the state government announced their compensation would be half that offered to Hindu victims; this decision

8217-495: The weakening of democratic institutions, individual rights , and freedom of expression . As prime minister, he has received consistently high approval ratings . Modi has been described as engineering a political realignment towards right-wing politics . He remains a controversial figure domestically and internationally, over his Hindu nationalist beliefs and handling of the Gujarat riots , which have been cited as evidence of

8316-539: Was "going to be fully responsible for Gujarat or not at all". On 3 October 2001, Modi replaced Patel as Chief Minister of Gujarat with the responsibility of preparing the BJP for the upcoming December 2002 election. On 7 October, Modi was sworn in and he entered the Gujarat state legislature on 24 February 2002 after winning a by-election in Rajkot II constituency, defeating Ashwin Mehta of the INC. On 27 February 2002,

8415-542: Was 18. Modi left home soon after the marriage. After about two years of being out of contact with all who knew him, Modi returned to Vadnagar and contacted his family. He had made plans to go to Ahmedabad to work at his uncle's canteen . At his mother's insistence, Jashodaben came to the family household to maintain their marriage, but her husband objected to the arrangement, insisting on continuing his life on his own terms and encouraging her to continue in her studies. He told me once that "I will be travelling across

8514-566: Was able to downplay concerns about the protection of religious minorities and Modi's commitment to secularism, areas in which he had previously received criticism. Prior to the election, Modi's media image had centred around his role in the 2002 Gujarat riots but during the campaign, the BJP focused on Modi's neoliberal ideology and the Gujarat model of development. The BJP sought to identify itself with political leaders who publicly opposed Hindu nationalism , including B. R. Ambedkar , Subhas Chandra Bose and Ram Manohar Lohia . Hindutva remained

8613-531: Was at odds with the philosophy of the RSS, which is usually described as anti-privatisation and anti-globalisation. Modi's policies during his second term have been credited with reducing corruption in Gujarat. He established financial and technology parks in the state and during the 2007 Vibrant Gujarat summit, real-estate investment deals worth ₹ 6.6 trillion (equivalent to ₹ 20 trillion or US$ 240 billion in 2023) were signed. The governments led by Patel and Modi supported NGOs and communities in

8712-683: Was based at the Hedgewar Bhavan (RSS headquarters) in the city. Modi's first-known political activity as an adult was in 1971 when he joined a Jana Sangh Satyagraha in Delhi led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee to enlist to fight in the Bangladesh Liberation War . The Indira Gandhi -led central government prohibited open support for the Mukti Bahini ; according to Modi, he was briefly held in Tihar Jail . After

8811-430: Was eight years old, he was introduced to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and began attending its local shakhas (training sessions). There, he met Lakshmanrao Inamdar , who inducted Modi as a balswayamsevak (junior cadet) in the RSS and became his political mentor. While Modi was training with the RSS, he also met Vasant Gajendragadkar and Nathalal Jaghda, Bharatiya Jana Sangh leaders who in 1980 helped found

8910-645: Was found. Following the violence, calls for Modi to resign as chief minister were made from politicians within and outside the state, including leaders of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Telugu Desam Party —partners in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance coalition—and opposition parties stalled Parliament over the issue. Modi submitted his resignation at the April 2002 BJP national executive meeting in Goa but it

9009-865: Was generally limited to the urban middle class, and citizens in rural areas and those from lower castes were increasingly marginalised. In 2013, the state ranked 10th of 21 Indian states in the Human Development Index . Under Modi, the state government spent less than the national average on education and healthcare. During its raids in 2013 and 2014, the CBI seized some diaries from two big Indian companies, Sahara Group and Aditya Birla Group . These diaries contained references of alleged payments made to leaders belonging to as many as 18 political parties including BJP, Congress, JDU, BJD etc. Among these were some entries mentioning "Gujarat CM" and "Ahmadabad Modiji". Citing these entries, on 21 December 2016,

9108-419: Was later reversed after the issue was taken to court. During the riots, police officers often did not intervene in situations where they were able. Several scholars have described the violence as a pogrom and others have called it an example of state terrorism . According to Martha Nussbaum , "There is by now a broad consensus that the Gujarat violence was a form of ethnic cleansing, that in many ways it

9207-400: Was not accepted. Despite opposition from the election commissioner, who said a number of voters were still displaced, Modi succeeded in advancing the election to December 2002. In the election, the BJP won 127 seats in the 182-member assembly. Modi made significant use of anti-Muslim rhetoric during his campaign, and the BJP profited from religious polarisation among voters. Modi framed

9306-487: Was not circulated at that time because of the election code of conduct . After the November 2008 Mumbai attacks , the Gujarat government authorised the deployment of 30 high-speed boats for coastal surveillance. In July 2007, Modi completed 2,063 consecutive days as chief minister of Gujarat, making him the longest-serving holder of that post. The BJP won 122 of 182 state-assembly seats in that year's election. Despite

9405-403: Was premeditated, and that it was carried out with the complicity of the state government and officers of the law". Modi's personal involvement in the 2002 events has continued to be debated. During the riots, he said, "What is happening is a chain of action and reaction". Later in 2002, Modi said the way in which he had handled the media was his only regret regarding the episode. In March 2008,

9504-444: Was said to be common knowledge in her village. She was reportedly diligent and well liked as a teacher, especially among her students. When required to fill out forms on which his spouse was requested to be identified, Modi had repeatedly been leaving the spousal information section blank or just marked with a dash – including in state assembly elections in 2001, 2002, 2007 and 2012. At political rallies he had said he

9603-461: Was scheduled to speak at a conference on politics organized by supporters of Modi. Event organizers reported that the conference was shut down on the second day of the week-long program on the direction of the BJP leader Amit Shah and others. No reason was given for cancelling the conference, but people in attendance claimed Jashodaben's presence as the cause. In November 2015, Jashodaben applied for

9702-636: Was single. In the 2014 Indian general election , Modi contested the Vadodara seat in the Lok Sabha , the lower house of the Parliament of India . Under the Representation of the People Act and following recent rulings stating that a complete response was mandatory, Modi was required to declare any previous marriage. Following legal advice to "come clean" about the issue, for the first time in public and media, Modi acknowledged that he had

9801-413: Was two years old. Narendra Modi and Jashodaben had an arranged marriage , starting with a family-arranged betrothal in their very early childhood. According to Narendra Modi's brother, the couple had undergone vivaaha , the religious ceremony of Marriage when Narendra Modi was 18 and Jashodaben was about 17. A marriage ceremony was held to begin their married life together when she was 17 and he

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