As days pass on, the 2002 well-planned, anti-Muslim genocide in Gujarat is proving an albatross round the neck of Chief Minister Narendra Modi and his cohorts. The more Modi and his administration are trying to shake themselves off it the more the noose seems to be getting tightened.
Former Gujarat Chief Minister Suresh Mehta, who had been one of Modi’s party fellow leaders, has alleged that after the Godhra train burning incident in 2002, Narendra Modi had instructed the state police not to interfere in the activities of VHP, Bajrang Dal and BJP. He was addressing a joint press conference organised by the Committee for the Defence of Teesta Setalvad and Justice in Gujarat.
Another shocking revelation was made by senior IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt that the former Gujarat Minister of State for Home Amit Shah had asked him ‘not to reveal the truth’ before the Supreme Court-appointed SIT probing into some of the massacres during the 2002 communal riots in the State. Mr. Bhatt told the G.T. Nanavati-Akshay Mehta judicial inquiry commission that on being summoned by the SIT in November, 2009, for questioning, he was “approached” by Mr. Shah who tried to influence him not to tell the truth to the investigating agency.
Mr. Bhatt also said he was aware that the former Congress Chief Ministers, Amarsinh Chaudhary and Shankarsinh Waghela, had threatened to launch an indefinite fast from March 1, 2002, in front of the CM’s residence in protest against the alleged police inaction to protect the minorities. But Mr. Modi personally advised Mr. Chaudhary against launching any fast considering the “charged atmosphere.”
These revelations are nothing new. Since this genocide shook the country over nine years ago, several fact-finding teams, both national and international, as well as investigating agencies have indicted Modi for his palpable role therein. But it is a travesty of justice that he is not only continuing to head the administration in the State but also being projected to be the Hindutva’s, and not Bharat’s, ideal person to lead the nation. This is irony of ironies.
Justice (retd) P.B. Sawant also alleged that what is happening in Gujarat is far worse than “subversiveness” of the legal system.
All efforts, including intimidation of human rights activists like Teesta Setalvad, and survivors of the communal riots as well as interfering in the legal process by influencing the witnesses like Sanjiv Bhatt, are being made to save Modi and his government. But all these efforts refuse to work or do any magic to save the skin of researcher at Hindutva laboratory in Gujarat.