out of jail, [Chief Minister] Narendra Modi changed judges thrice”.u003cbr />Yet another MLA acknowledged that Modi gave him “three days to dou003cbr />whatever violence they wanted”.u003cbr />u003cbr />In a further disturbing incident that reflects upon the dictatorialu003cbr />nature of the presiding administration in Gujarat, reports are pouringu003cbr />in from the ground that state government is forcing the TV operatorsu003cbr />to block/censor the telecast of the exposé.u003cbr />u003cbr />The following organizations and individuals endorsing the aboveu003cbr />statement are calling upon the government of India for:u003cbr />u003cbr />The immediate dismissal of the Narendra Modi administration andu003cbr />imposition of President’s rule in Gujarat.u003cbr />The immediate arrest of the all criminals who have confessed theiru003cbr />crimes in the Tehelka tapes.u003cbr />The transfer of all legal cases pertaining to the Gujarat pogroms ofu003cbr />2002 to a court outside of Gujarat.u003cbr />u003cbr />Endorsing Organizations:u003cbr />u003cbr />AFMI: American Federation of Muslims of Indian Originu003cbr />AIM: Association of Indian Muslimsu003cbr />Dharma Meghau003cbr />FIACONA: Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North Americau003cbr />FOSA: Friends of South Asiau003cbr />GMAA: Gujarati Muslim Association of Americau003cbr />India Foundationu003cbr />IACP: Indian American Coalition for Pluralismu003cbr />IMC-USA: Indian Muslim Council – USA.u003cbr />IMRC: Indian Muslim Relief & Charitiesu003cbr />International Service Societyu003cbr />NRI-SAHI: Non Resident Indians for a Secular and Harmonious India.u003cbr />SANSAD: South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracyu003cbr />Seva Internationalu003cbr />SHRI: Supporters of Human Rights in Indiau003cbr />Vedanta Society of East Lansingu003cbr />Washington Watchu003cbr />u003cbr />Endorsing Individuals:u003cbr />u003cbr />Abraham Mammen (President, FIACONA)u003cbr />Dr. Angana Chatterji (California Institute of Integral Studies)u003cbr />Biju Matthew (Associate Professor, Rider University)u003cbr />Firoz Vohra (President GMAA)u003cbr />”,1] ); //–> Another confession came from Babu Bajrangi who stated that “to get me out of jail, [Chief Minister] Narendra Modi changed judges thrice”.
IMC-USA, other organisations in US and Canada demand dismissal of Gujarat govt.
Several prominent Indian organisations and individuals based in US and Canada have called for the immediate dismissal of the state government in Gujarat, following an exposé by the Tehelka in which many top Hindu nationalist figures linked to the administration admitted to their active role in orchestrating and perpetrating the massacre and ethnic cleansing of Muslims in…
Several prominent Indian organisations and individuals based in US and Canada have called for the immediate dismissal of the state government in Gujarat, following an exposé by the Tehelka in which many top Hindu nationalist figures linked to the administration admitted to their active role in orchestrating and perpetrating the massacre and ethnic cleansing of Muslims in 2002. The exposé reveals active participation of key state institutions including police forces and judiciary in the anti-minority pogroms.
Indian Muslim Council – USA has demanded immediate dismissal of the state government of Gujarat under Narendra Modi and imposition of President’s rule based on the incriminating evidence recorded from none other than the perpetrators of the ghastly crimes during the 2002 pogroms.
“Soon after the brutal mass murder of thousands of Muslims and inhuman treatment of women, children and unborn life in April 2002, several independent reports including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, had concluded that the responsibility rested on the administration of state of Gujarat, India. Recently, former Home Minister Gordhan Zaphardia’s confession on national TV and now these most revealing video interviews with the rapists and murderers who were directly involved leaves little doubt about Narendra Modi’s involvement in facilitating these crimes against humanity,” the advocacy group dedicated towards safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos said in a statement on October 26.
With the expose detailing the connivance of the state machinery and subversion by the police forces and judiciary, Rasheed Ahmed, President, Indian Muslim Council-USA asserted: “It is next to impossible to expect that justice will be done inside the state of Gujarat. IMC-USA demands the constitution of a special fast track court, outside Gujarat, to speedily prosecute and serve justice to the victims of crimes against humanity.”
“It is not fitting for the largest democracy to have murderers, rapists and arsonists strutting around with impunity and gloating over their horrific deeds. In contrast, Muslim youth, minorities and the disadvantaged sections of the society are arrested and tortured upon mere suspicion or under false pretexts without even the minimal legal representation or due process of the law. The rule of law must reign supreme for the citizenry to put their faith in the government. The Government of India has a responsibility to answer the citizens as to what is preventing them from bringing down the fullest weight of the law upon these criminals,” said Mirza Baig, Vice-President of IMC-USA.
Saluting the daring and courageous efforts of journalist Ashish Khetan and Tehelka in bringing out the truth of one of the worst massacres of independent India, IMC-USA said, “They have done the best service to the country by exposing the Hindutva forces that threaten to destabilize the nation from within.”
Several national and international human rights organisations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have maintained since 2002 that the Gujarat government led by the BJP Chief Minister Narendra Modi orchestrated these pogroms. Following widespread protests by many Indian American organisations, Modi was denied visa by the United States administration in 2005 on account of his human rights record.
The Tehelka tapes present incontestable evidence of the involvement of state machinery in the massacre. It captures several confessions including that of the state prosecutor Arvind Pandya who stated that the “mass killings of Muslims in Gujarat should be celebrated every year as a victory day” and that “Every judge was calling me in his chamber and showing full sympathy for me… giving full cooperation to me, but keeping some distance… the judges were also guiding me as and when required… how to put up a case and on which date… because basically they are Hindus”.
Yet another MLA acknowledged that Modi gave him “three days to do whatever violence they wanted”.
The organisations and individuals who have endorsed this statement include American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin (AFMI), Association of Indian Muslims (AIM), Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America (FIACONA), Friends of South Asia (FOSA), Gujarati Muslim Association of America (GMAA), Indian American Coalition for Pluralism (IACP), Indian Muslim Relief & Charities (IMRC), Non Resident Indians for a Secular and Harmonious India (NRI-SAHI), South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy
(SANSAD), Supporters of Human Rights in India (SHRI), Abraham Mammen (President, FIACONA), Dr. Angana Chatterji (California Institute of Integral Studies) and others.