Godhra: Whipping up Hindu sentiments to the hilt, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on November 11 squarely blamed the Congress, Muslims and Pakistan for the Godhra carnage and its aftermath and accused them of speaking the same language.

Describing the killing of 57 Ramsevaks in a train on February 27 as a "demonic" act, he said had Congress and the local Muslims condemned the incident, "Gujarat would not have suffered".

Addressing an election rally from atop his "Gaurav rath", Modi charged the local Muslims with remaining silent spectators to earlier anti-Hindu attacks including the killing of four school teachers and six Sindhis.

"Had Muslims isolated the guilty and socially boycotted them, they would not have had to face ignominy today. They missed the opportunity. If any society gives refuge to the guilty, then criminals gain strength and it becomes difficult to control violence," the Chief Minister said.

PTI