Saralnama
In 2012, Shahid Siddiqui, former Rajya Sabha MP and journalist, published an interview with Gujarat CM Narendra Modi about the 2002 riots. Congress leader Ahmed Patel asked Siddiqui not to print it but he refused. Siddiqui was then expelled from the Samajwadi Party the same day the interview appeared. He said Patel pressured the party leadership to remove him. Siddiqui said his goal was to show Modi’s views, not support him. He also said political pressure on media has increased since the Emergency period. Siddiqui believes BJP cannot justify current media pressure by citing his case. He has good relations with leaders from other parties but keeps ideology separate. Siddiqui’s memoir covers his long career with many prime ministers and stresses the importance of free expression in democracy. (Updated 27 Aug 2025, 12:25 IST; source: link)