According to the figures given by Union Minister of State for Home, Shriprakash Jaiswal in Parliament on 11 May 2005, 1,044 Muslims were killed in the riots, 2,548 were injured and 223 people were missing. The report placed the number of riot-affected widows at 919 and the number of children orphaned at 606. 71,000 people fled from homes, 298 darghas and 205 mosques were demolished. Properties worth several thousand crores were looted or set ablaze. Newspapers continued to publish articles saying, “Win in Assembly elections of December 2002 does not whitewash Narendra Modi’s sins of the Gujarat pogrom on 2002 when 3,000 innocent Muslims were butchered” or “The Gujarat pogrom of killing thousands of Muslims did not help the BJP in the long term” etc., etc.,
When the riotous mobs of the Sangh Parivar let loose these heinous attacks and anarchy in Gujarat, the man at the helm was not just a passive spectator, but it was at his behest that the mayhem was carried out. It is none other than Jayalalitha’s close friend and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Now, if he undertakes a three-day fast as ‘Sadbhavana Mission’ (Goodwill Mission) and speaks of peace and harmony, can that wash off his blood-soaked hands and all his sins?
In Indian political context, a fast has potent symbolic value. Mahatma Gandhi used fasts routinely not only to bring home a message to his fellow Indians but also as a form of self-cleaning. A hunger-strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such a policy change. Potti Sreeramulu undertook a fast-unto-death for achieving the Andhra State and losing his life in the process. His sacrifice became instrumental in the Linguistic Reorganisation of States. He is referred as Amarjothi in Andhra for his sacrifice. Sankaralinganar observed hunger strike and sacrificed his life for the merger of some parts with Tamil Nadu.
Recently Anna Hazare deployed it as a weapon to blackmail the government into agreeing to his demands for a Lokpal Bill. The entire media, both print and electronic, were riveted in overdosing and exaggerating the event which was more a carnival, as if India was on the rise. At the same time Swami Nigamanand went on a fast-unto-death to protest against illegal quarrying in the Ganga river, from Feb.19, 2011 and declared dead on June 13, after being on fast for 115 days, unnoticed and unsung. So also Irom Sharmila Chanu has been on a hunger strike for more than 10 years demanding the Centre to repeal the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 which she blames for violence in Manipur and other parts of India’s north east. Having refused food and water for more than 10 years, she has been called ‘the world’s longest hunger striker’. Using Sections of IPC that classify suicide as a crime, State police have arrested and force-feed Sharmila through nasal tube for a decade. This has been described as a gross violation of hunger rights by both Indian and international human rights organisations. But there is no media hype for this poor girl or Swami Nigamanand as for Anna Hazare!
The next fast hype for Modi now. Neither the fast of Anna Hazare nor Narendra Modi quite fall in the above said categories. To call Hazare a Gandhian is an insult to Mahatma, who undertook sombre protest through fast. In contrast both Hazare and Modi are virulent and vituperative and commanding the people. Modi’s stated message is that his three day-fast, which will cost the state Rs.100 crore, is to promote communal harmony and peace. But the sub-text is clear; this is a launch pad for higher things, an attempt to break free of the shackles of the controversies that have dogged him and move on to the national stage. Not only Modi, but even a seasoned politician like Advani is misrepresenting the Supreme Court directive in the Gulbarga Society case, as if it had absolved Modi of any role in the riots. In fact, the Supreme Court directive actually goes a step forward, beyond what had been asked by the victims. The victims had been asking for filing an FIR against Modi. The SC has ordered the trial court to proceed on a trial on the basis of a report filed by the amicus curiae. So it has gone much beyond the stage of an FIR. And the trial has to proceed now.
His letter to his constituents, published in all major newspapers, as well as his speech, had been all about how he feels the ‘pain of all his people’, but both are also peppered with repeated references to the ‘remarkable growth of Gujarat’s economy’. The riots in 2002 when thousands of Muslims were killed received only briefest mention as ‘communal violence’ that troubled the state; those looking for contrition or even a veiled apology from him would be disappointed. That is not Modi’s style at all.
The ‘dharma’ of a leader is to provide a sense of security and well-being to his people. Governance is not about economic statistics alone. [Even this is highly exaggerated and unrealistic. Because in the Gujarat’s fifth mega biennial investment mela, Vibrant Gujarat Global Investment Summit in January 2011, it was announced that the State government signed 7,936 MoUs and roped in a promised investment totalling a whopping Rs.20.83 lakh crore’ or $450 billion, surpassing the tally of Rs.12.3 lakh crore ‘notched up’ during the previous mela held in 2010. But not even one MoU signed in five melas so far in 9 years had been realized.] It is about equity and justice, and, despite the surface calm in Gujarat, on those fronts, Modi cannot claim success. This is not to insult the people of Gujarat, which is the spin he has regularly given to all criticism. It is to ensure that those responsible for these crimes are prosecuted (and not protected, as Modi does). Not surprisingly, Modi’s supporters within the BJP and some constituents of the NDA and Jayalalitha’s ADMK, the only non-NDA party who attended the high-profile fast, skirted these issues choosing to hail him and his state as worthy models. It could not have escaped their attention, however, that key coalition partners like the Janata Dal (U) stayed away. In fact, JD (U) Chairman Sharad Yadav took pot shots at the show.
Any attempt to create harmony between communities is only to be welcomed and encouraged. That a Chief Minister of a state undertaken to send out a message of amity and brotherhood is a good sign to the citizenry. Yet, such initiatives will only remain at the level of lip service unless they are accompanied by a sincere attempt to assuage the hurt of each and everyone of those victimized for no fault of their own. And closure is nowhere in sight. Modi’s fast may fulfil many purposes and give him the image boost he seeks, but these will not mean much unless he shows true regret and remorse for the events of 2002.
What do the victims feel about Modi’s show? The 2002 riot victims gathered at Naroda Patia, the scene of one of the worst massacres that killed 95 people, sent an open letter to Narendra Modi on the day he began the fast, stating:
“Dear Narendrabhai,
Why do you have to undertake this “Sadbhavna Mission” by observing three days “upvaas”?? No other Chief Minister of the 26 States in India has to do such a “prayaschit” to earn sadbhavna! Have you finally realized after about a decade that all the so called “developmental” publicity cannot earn you the faith, respect and love of the people?
You are quite good at story telling. Do you remember the story of king Midas? Whatever he touched turned into gold. Your supporters say you have the Midas touch of turning Gujarat into Swarnim Gujarat. But do you remember that despite all his power, Midas thirsted for just a glass of water, like you are thirsting for the love and respect of the victims of the 2002 riots? No amount of power or arrogance gave Midas his glass of water nor will you get your sadbhavana with all your developmental publicity!
You say all your critics are liars! Is it a lie that in the months of February and March 2002, over a thousand helpless men, women and children were butchered all over Gujarat with your police watching the mobs looting and killing?? Is it a lie that you were the Chief Minister of Gujarat at that time? If you were so great a Chief Minister as you claim today, why couldn’t you protect these innocent, helpless Muslims?? In fact, why did you fail to protect the innocent 58 passengers of Sabarmati Express who also died in the terrible fire on 27th February, 2002?
You say that you are not guilty of the mass murders of those days! If you are not guilty then tell us who are guilty? Tell us why your police failed to prosecute them because of which Supreme Court had to appoint SIT? Tell us why even after SIT was appointed, all those who were arrested including Mayaben Kodnani and Jaydeep Patel are roaming freely in this State? Tell us why POTA was applied to only Muslim accused? Tell us why the muslim accused were not granted bail and most of them have been convicted and even sentenced to death! Tell us why the accused of the Naroda Patiya or Gulberg massacre have not been convicted till today?
Tell us why the blame of the Haren Pandya murder was falsely put on the muslim boys who had to suffer 8 years in jail till they were acquitted by the high court?
Tell us why Sameer Khan Pathan, Sadiq Jamal, Ishrat Jahan, Sohrabuddin, Kausar, Tulsi Prajapati and several others were murdered in fake encounters and in every FIR it was alleged that they were intending to kill you? Did you ever investigate why every FIR made such an allegation regarding you? If such an allegation was false, did you take any action against the police officers who killed them? Or did you give them promotions?
Are you celebrating the pain of the victims or are you trying to confuse the people by organizing the five-star programme to give an impression that the cases against you have been closed?
Narendrabhai, you may turn Gujarat into a heaven for a handful of rich and powerful. But have you ever peeped into the hell through which we the victims and community as a whole is going through? No, you have not and we know, you have no desire or intention to give us Justice. We therefore dismiss your “Sadbhavana Mission” as just another publicity stunt.
On our part, we declare that we have no ill feeling towards our Hindu brothers and sisters despite our terrible loss and sufferings. We are both the victims of powerful political forces whose strength lies in our division. We alone can create “Sadbhavana” by uniting and defeating the forces of fraud and deception for vote politics. You may be doing all this for your great ambition to become PM of the country, but we have only one small demand- WE WANT JUSTICE.
Your riot victim citizens.
Jan Sangharsh Manch
September 18, 2011
As Narendra Modi went on a three-day fast for "peace, unity and harmony" in his state, an unpublished letter addressed to him almost nine years ago by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee may come back to haunt him. The letter dated June 1, 2002, reveals Vajpayee's concern at the time for the fragile communal situation in the state and reflects his doubts if the interests of the riot-hit were being properly looked after. This letter was dispatched three months after the Godhra incident and the post-Godhra riots. It came almost two months after Vajpayee's famous advice to Narendra Modi that as a chief minister he must adhere to "Raj dharma", and never discriminate on the basis of caste, creed or religion.
Vajpayee's letter obtained through an RTI application showed that a Prime Minister who seldom relied on detailed correspondence with chief ministers thought it necessary to interfere in the affairs of Gujarat. The tenor of the letter makes it clear that the then PM was concerned if enough was being done for relief and if a sense of assurance and security was being really conveyed to those who had fled and taken up shelter in the makeshift camps.
In the letter, Vajpayee brought to the notice of Modi that there had been "gross under-assessment of damages" to the victims' homes. "It is possible that, for various reasons, the teams involved in work have assessed the damages on the lower side. In the interest of justice and fair play, it will be expedient to conduct test checks in selected areas. If the test checks do confirm under-assessment, the state government will reassess the damages in the areas with large-scale complaints," he wrote. He even went to the extent of assuring Modi that there would be a greater flow of funds from the Centre to help meet additional expenses.
Vajpayee further said: "I have also been informed that in a large number of cases, the relatives of the dead are yet to be paid the ex gratia because bodies are yet to be identified and, also, applications regarding missing persons are yet to be disposed off. The inordinate delay in the disbursement of ex gratia payments is a matter of concern." The then Prime Minister argued that taking DNA samples and thereby establishing identities would be a time-consuming process "leading to further unacceptable delay".
He also wrote to Modi on the widespread feeling of insecurity. He said: "It is natural that the residents of the worst-affected areas may be reluctant to return to their original places of residence and demand their relocation in safer areas. Ideally, an atmosphere should be created whereby these people gain enough confidence to resettle at the original place of residence."
He even asked the chief minister that in case relocation could not be avoided, "particularly in the worst-hit areas like Naroda Patiya in Ahmedabad and Lunawada in Panchamahal, active government support during their relocation will only protect them from unscrupulous elements". He pointed out: "Needless to say that undue influence by such elements will only exacerbate the already complicated situation."
It is more than clear that the letter was penned by a Prime Minister who was dissatisfied with the state government's steps and had carefully studied the shortcomings. Vajpayee wanted to see improvements on the ground and, therefore, did what was very unlike with him, interfered in the functioning of a state by offering direct advice on how to manage relief and rehabilitation. The Gujarat riots had bothered the Prime Minister immensely and this letter is a proof of the anxiety he experienced for a major part of 2002.
That the veteran leader, ‘the mahout of BJP’ according to Govindacharya, is conspicuous by his silence over Modi’s gimmick now, speaks more louder his apprehension about him.
During the three-day fast, Modi was seen in an array of traditional head gear- except one. Despite wooing Muslims with his Sadbhavana rhetoric, not once was he seen in a Muslim skull cap. When a maulana offered him the skull cap, he refused to wear it, leaving the cleric and his supporters fuming. ‘It is not an insult to me, but an insult to Islam’ the maulana said. Earlier, the detention of danseuse and activist Mallika Sarabhai and several victims of 2002 riots at Naroda Patia ahead of Modi’s programme was not an act of goodwill but of badwill. Modi’s police gave no reason for their arrest and it was a clear violation and denial of fundamental rights of the citizen. There can be no sadbhavana without justice. Every citizen has the right to protest.
As much hyped fast ended on Sep.19, Modi, tacit as his ambition is for the top job in the country, portrayed himself atleast as one of the leaders of the country and selling himself as the true candidate for Prime Ministership of the country, to bring about a ‘parivarthan’ (transformation). Unlike his opening speech which had an emotional quotient, Modi’s closing address was more of a political speech.
Jayalalitha’s ADMK was the only non-NDA political party to greet Modi on his ‘mission’. Justifying the deputation of her party representatives to the Modi’s show, paradoxically after offering floral tributes to the statue of Thanthai Periyar on his birth anniversary and just beneath the statue of the great rationalist, Jayalalitha said that her party was in agreement with Modi’s mission for harmony and peace adding that he requested her over phone.
True! Jayalalitha is the natural ally of Narendra Modi in many respects. On the personal side, both are officially unmarried and known megalomaniacs. It was only in Tamil Nadu other than Gujarat, that Jayalalitha brought in Anti-Conversion legislation but had to withdraw later after electoral drubbing. Both are Hitlerites. Veteran legislator and trade unionist Thiru K.Subbu wrote a voluminous book on her first regime in 1991-96 under the title ‘Ingeyum Oru Hitler’ (Here also a Hitler). Even in her school days, she had fascination for Hitlerite symbol of swastika and invariably on the top of all the pages she writes the marks of ‘Om’, not in Tamil alphabet but in Sanskrit Ý and swastika mark Þ If Hitler wanted to cleanse Germany of Jews, Modi wanted to cleanse Gujarat of Muslims and Jayalalitha wants and tries to cleanse Tamil Nadu of the DMK and Dravidian movement, by persecution. Both are inherent liars and adept in manipulating and protracting cases against them…. And the comparison goes on!
Just for a nightmarish imagination! What will happen to India if Narendra Modi becomes the Prime Minister and Jayalalitha, the Deputy Prime Minister, her ambition since 1998?
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