SYYED MANSOOR AGHA digs up the real motive behind the killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, his wife Kausar Bi and lone witness Tulsi Prajapati, concludes that it is a test case to study how the concept of a Hindu Rashtra unfolds, and calls upon the enlightened citizens to save the nation from falling into the hands of the Shahs, Modis and Sadhvis.
It is not an ordinary criminal case of killing a man and his wife. It is not a usual chargesheet filed by IB in a court revealing horrifying details of the conspiracy, planning and execution of crime. It is not merely a story of resignation of a Minister of Home for eight years and downfall of a high profile political figure at the peak of his carrier. It is also not a report of unfolding political controversy, rallying the party behind its leader accused of extortion, murder and gross misappropriation of power his constitutional authority vested in him as Minister or accusing bias against investigating agency by the party. To me, it is a test case to study how the concept of a ‘Hindutva Rashtra’, which is the end goal of RSS and its political arm BJP, unfolds. How deep doctrined leaders and cadre of Sangh Parivar are to corrupt the State machinery under their control. To what extent they can go for personal and political mileage and in greed of money. Where stands the moral standard of preachers of morality. What is real colour of the culture of self proclaimed custodians of Indian cultural values. The heinous episode poses a big question. What will be the future of our Nation if one day Sangh Parivar anyhow succeeds to gain full control over Indian Administrative system?
THE MAN BEHIND THE CRIME
Amit Shah, 46, was born rich. His father Anilchandra left behind share certificates of worth crores. He started his carrier as a stock broker. Ideologically cast in RSS dye, Shah learned his bullying tactics as a VHP activist, and emerged as a fit leader of BJP. He had been handling senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani’s elections in Gandhinagar. He is a close confidant of Narendra Modi and important member of his core group. His stature rose to new heights after 2002 carnage of Muslims in the state. In case of Modi’s departure from CM House, he was supposed to be his most probable successor.
He is the man who won assembly elections with highest margin in Gujarat. The irony is that today he had to go in hiding for days together. So far, his public image was that of a bully and that he would never compromise on Hindutva. But, even to his admirers, it is shocking that it is not Hindutva or his anti-Muslim actions that are under the scanner but his being an extortionist and cruel murderer. If all that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) says in its 30,000-page charge sheet is proven in a court of law, it would mean that Shah was the uncrowned “extortion king” of Gujarat; a racket he probably ran for more than a decade with the help of senior police officers in the state. The charges against the BJP leader are serious – murder, conspiracy to murder, extortion, criminal intimidation and destruction of evidence, among other things.
Shah is the prime accused in the murder of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, who was a henchman in Shah’s extortion industry. In a state that is utterly divided on communal lines, it was crime and lucre that brought Shah and Sohrabuddin together in a complex web of extortion that both ran along with two IPS officers – Deputy Inspector General D.G. Vanzara and Deputy Commissioner of Police Abhay Chudasama.
Shah is a rich man but his lust for money made him use his position to run a racket. It is difficult to presume his boss would have remained unaware of his activities. The racket proved a virtual web to nail him. Now he is in judicial custody and will have to prove his innocence in the court.
THE MAN ELIMINATED
Of course, Sohrabuddin was not a saint. He was also a small time gangster. CBI alleges, Sohrabuddin was the front; Shah the mastermind. The former would extort money from businessmen and pass the cash on to Shah, with Vanzara and Chudasama providing necessary threats. In 2004, the CBI claims, Sohrabuddin got too big for his boots. This made Shah uneasy as his man began extorting money from marble traders in Rajasthan, a BJP-ruled state where these traders were close to the establishment.
Shah was told by party bosses to rein in Sohrabuddin, who just wouldn’t listen to his master Amit Shah or the two police officers. So, when the pressure got to him, Shah had no option but to eliminate him. The minister would not only have to save his political face in front of the BJP brass, but removing Sohrabuddin from the scene would mean that he would reap the extortion profits all by himself.
These revelations in CBI chargesheet clearly indicate that the racket and its actors were in full knowledge of party leaders. In other words, he had sanction of his leaders. That is why Modi and his party is rallying behind Shah and claiming ‘he is innocent.’
KILLING WAS NOT FOR PROMOTIONS
After killing Sohrabuddin, DG Vanzara claimed that Sohrabuddin was a dangerous Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) terrorist out to kill Chief Minister Narendra Modi, and had been engaged by the state police in an encounter. The brave officers of the Gujarat Police had killed Sohrabuddin in the course of this encounter. Last year the Modi administration tactically admitted that the encounter was fake, but to save Amit Shah, also floated the theory that some policemen committed the crime for promotions. CBI however found this theory fake.
The CBI alleges that on Shah’s directions to Vanzara, Sohrabuddin was killed in cold blood on November 26, 2005, in police custody. On November 27, 2005, Shah ordered Kausarbi’s elimination too. He allegedly directed that her body be burnt and the ashes be thrown into the Narmada. Shah told the cops to then switch off their phones, says the CBI. Tulsi Prajapati, sole witness to the crime was also killed in another staged shootout but that is being investigated as a separate incident. Shah’s involvement is very much suspected therein too. Of course the guilt of Gujarat police officers is monstrous but it is no match with their Master’s.
POLITICAL MILEAGE
Like the killings of Muslims in riots or in police action, this incident was also used by BJP and allies to communalise the already communalised State atmosphere. Sohrabuddin was dubbed a terrorist out to kill Narendra Modi. Undoubtedly this was a ploy to please Modi and strengthen communal divide and create sympathy wave for Modi and his saffron party. The party is still out to politicise the whole matter.
CBI’S CHARGES
Gujarat’s ex-home minister Amit Shah was the brain behind the extortion racket run by senior Gujarat police officers with Sohrabuddin Sheikh as the frontman.
Shah told his loyal band of senior police officers to eliminate Sheikh so that he could expand his extortion network and make political gains by driving fear into the minds of Gujarat businessmen.
Shah used his confidants Ajay Patel and Yashpal Chudasama to threaten or influence witnesses and offered Rs 50 lakh to Sheikh’s family.
CBI’S EVIDENCE
Phone records of Shah and statements of witnesses are solid evidence against Shah with the investigating agency. Gujarat builder brothers Dashrath and Raman Patel have deposed in court against Shah, accusing him of extorting money. They have also conducted a sting operation showing Shah’s confidants threatening them.
An audio recording made by accused police officer DSP N.K. Amin of his conversation in jail with another accused, sub-inspector N.V. Chauhan. This reveals Shah’s role in the murder of Sheikh.
CONCLUSION
Amit Shah’s is a fit case for the students of political science to study the conduct of a Hindutva State. A comparison of this conduct with Muslim conduct of a State will be an eye opener for those who blame Islam for violation of Human Rights and Civil Liberties. It is a point to keep in mind that Hindutva presents a cluster of faiths, mutually divergent and opposite to each other, philosophically and practically. It is rigid in liberalism. There is no ideological ground for unity among different views and practices. Proponents of Hindutva have carved out a diabolically dangerous strategy of hatred against Muslims and Christians to unite Hindus behind themselves. Though they have not yet succeeded in their efforts to the desired level, they are seen inching forward. Enlightened Hindus and Muslims need to come together and save the country from falling into the hands of the Amit Shahs, Modis and Sadhvis.
[The writer is General Secretary of Forum for Civil Rights. [email protected]]