Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an interview with podcaster Lex Fridman said the 2002 Sabarmati Express attack in Gujarat's Godhra was a "tragedy of unimaginable magnitude" and the riots that followed this "was tragic for everyone".

In a three-hour-long interview, PM Modi spoke in length about the 2002 riots in Gujarat and the lessons he learned from it.

Contrary to the perception, PM Modi claimed that the riots that took place in 2002 were not the worst that Gujarat has seen.

Nor has there been any communal tension in the state since.

PM Modi said a fake narrative was spread around the Godhra riots. Before 2002, Gujarat had witnessed over 250 riots, and communal violence was frequent.

"The perception that the 2002 riot was the biggest ever is misinformation," PM Modi said.

The world had seen a surge in terrorist activities and violence during those times," the Indian PM added.

He said that since 2002, not a single case of riots has occurred in Gujarat.

PM Modi, who was then Gujarat's Chief Minister, said that people tried to malign his image after the riots but ultimately, justice prevailed and the courts cleared him of all charges.

He claimed that the Kandahar hijack, the 9/11 attack in the US, and attacks on the J&K Assembly and Parliament had "created the background". 

"In such a tense environment, even the smallest spark had the potential to ignite unrest. The situation had already become extremely volatile," he said.

"You can imagine, against the backdrop of incidents like the Kandahar hijacking, the attack on Parliament, or even 9/11, and then to have so many people killed and burned alive... You can imagine how tense and volatile the situation was. Of course, this was tragic for everyone, everyone prefers peace," he said.

He said he was shouldered with the responsibility of leading Gujarat amid the massive Bhuj earthquake and its aftermath including the rehabilitation efforts.

"This was a crucial task, and from day one after my oath, I immersed myself in it. I was a person who had absolutely no prior experience with the government. I had never been part of any administration, never even served in government before. I had never contested an election, never even been a State Representative. For the first time in my life, I had to face elections.

"On February 24, 2002, I became a State Representative, an elected representative, for the first time. And it was only around February 24th, 25th, or 26th that I stepped into the Gujarat Assembly for the very first time.

"On February 27, 2002, we were seated in the assembly for the budget session, and that same day, it had been just three days since I'd become a State Representative when suddenly, the horrific Godhra incident occurred," he said.

Summing up, he said, "So there was a long history long before I was in the picture. But that one tragic incident in 2002 became a sparking point, leading some people towards violence. Yet, the judiciary thoroughly investigated the matter. At that time, our political opponents were in power, and naturally, they wanted all allegations against us to stick."

But "despite their relentless efforts, the judiciary analyzed the situation meticulously, twice, and ultimately, found us completely innocent. Those who were truly responsible have faced justice from the courts," he added.