Since 2002, whenever it is election season – either in Gujarat or national elections, the ghost of Gujarat riots is resurrected. Sections of media, political parties and NGOs unleash a high-decibel barrage of propaganda to revive the memories of riot victims and create a sense of ‘victimhood’ amongst the minorities. Expectedly, Narendra Modi is accused by rival political parties of being the mastermind behind the ‘conspiracy of ethnic cleansing’. Congress party called it ‘Genocide’ or a ‘Pogrom’ at different times and held Modi responsible for his complicity and criminal negligence causing the killing of innocent Muslims. While the statistics provided in May 2005 by UPA government confirmed that 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus were killed (mostly in police action), Congress, various NGOs and Human Rights activists continued to claim that over 2000+ Muslims died at the hands of Hindu mobs. Burning of S6 coach of Sabarmati Express at Godhra in the early hours of Feb.27, 2002, by Muslim miscreants which caused the death of several dozens of Kar Sewaks and led to retaliatory action by Hindus was completely sidelined and on some occasions, canards were spread that the Godhra incident was caused by a short circuit.
Congress party, media and NGOs tried their best to describe the riots as ‘State Terrorism’ rather than communal riots. In state election soon after riots in 2002, Congress made this as the principal issue. Again in 2004 general elections, BJP’s surprise defeat was attributed to Gujarat riots and Modi’s failure to follow ‘Raj Dharm” (a euphemism that was cleverly extracted by Congress & media from Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s statement). In 2007 Gujarat elections, Congress president Sonia Gandhi made the famous ‘Maut Ke Saudagar’ comment, though Modi went on to win the election with record number of seats.
Gujarat has moved on since 2002. For the people of Gujarat, it was an issue over-emphasized by Congress, media and NGOs/Activists. The process of dispensing justice and punishing those responsible for killing hundreds of innocent people (both at Godhra train burning incident as also the rioting that followed) was initiated by Gujarat government in right earnest. But, relentless publicity was given by Congress, media & NGOs completely disregarding:
- There have been a total of 443 convictions, including 332 Hindus and 111 Muslims, according to official records;
- Cases filed in various courts were decided expeditiously and in 2011, a fast track court convicted 31 people for Godhra train burning incident and conspiracy for the crime, whereas 32 people (including a former state minister and a prominent Hindu leader) were convicted in the infamous Naroda Patiya case;
- In Dec. 2013, a Special Investigating Team (SIT) appointed under orders of Supreme Court absolved Narendar Modi on charges of conspiracy in Gujarat riots;
- There has been no major incidence of communal rioting since March 2002, not even retaliatory attacks in the wake of terrorist strikes in 2008, a feat not witnessed in recent times in several states with larger Muslim population.
For Congress, there were compelling reasons to keep the issue alive. Though Congress realized that Sonia Gandhi’s ‘Maut Ka Saudagar’ comment cost them the 2007 Gujarat election, its leaders failed to realize that Modi can be very creative in election rallies and has always come out stronger whenever under attack. Yet, Congress leaders kept returning the sobriquet (‘Maut ka Saudagar’, or ‘Zeher Ki Kheti’) in major rallies and media discussions. In his recent utterances, after his image make-over, an aggressive Rahul Gandhi (most likely following a strategy choreographed by his mother), has revived the 2002 riots yet again. Congress perception appears to be that since Modi will polarise the majority votes and has the capability to swing an additional 6%-10% vote share in favour of BJP, this will inflict fatal blows to Congress. This is the possible outcome Congress is afraid of and hence, Modi in its cross-hair.
Another factor could be Congress led UPA government’s performance, particularly in its second term. Congress realizes, it cannot engage Modi in a discussion involving governance, transparency & economy – in all of these Modi’s record stands out as exemplary. So, Congress is targeting communalism to shift the focus away from issues on which it stands on weak ground. For the NGOs and activists, a number of whom mushroomed after the Gujarat riots, keeping alive the 2002 riots is a matter of survival. Most of them have received donations/contributions from foreign countries/charities by publishing reports vilifying Modi and Hindus and presenting graphic details (some of questionable source) of killing of innocent citizens. Afraid that its income would plummet if Modi were to become PM, most of these NGOs have become willing collaborators with Congress.
More than a decade on, many Gujarati Muslims say they have succeeded in rebuilding their lives in part because of the state’s investor-friendly economic development model. Some say it has reduced poverty levels in the state and the 9% Muslims are among the beneficiaries of the boom.
- In a state-wise comparison of poverty rates among Muslims in rural India, Gujarat stood at the bottom of the chart with a paltry 7.7% of the rural Muslims below poverty line, as against the national average of 26.9% and several other states with large Muslim population like Maharashtra (28.6%),UP & Bihar (34%), Assam (40.2%) and Jharkhand (47.4%).
- Even in respect of similar comparison for Urban Muslims, Gujarat fares far better at 14.6% as compared to national average of 22.7%, UP (36.4%) and Bihar at a whopping 51.1% ( statistics for FY2011-12). More and more Muslims are sending their children to schools and colleges.
- In 2002, there were 200 Muslim educational trusts in Gujarat. Now, there are more than 800.
- While 9% of the state population is Muslim, over 11% of Gujarat Police force is Muslim. There is no other state in the country that matches this number.
To quote Zafar Sareshwala “Modi, in fact, has given a new formula of inclusive development to our secular country by removing the labels of religion, castes and creed”.
A riot-free Gujarat is firmly on its path of rapid economic development leading to prosperity of its entire populace. I would like to conclude with a quote from Salim Khan – well known name in literary world:
“Does anyone remember who the chief minister of Maharashtra was during the Mumbai riots which were no less deadly than the Gujarat riots of 2002? Does anyone recall the name of the chief minister of UP during Malliana and Meerut riots or that of the Bihar CM when the Bhagalpur or Jamshedpur riots under Congress regimes took place? Do we hear names of earlier chief ministers of Gujarat under whose charge, hundreds of riots took place in post-Independence India? Does anyone remember who was in-charge of Delhi’s security when the 1984 massacre of Sikhs took place in the capital of India? How come Narendra Modi has been singled out as the Devil Incarnate as if he personally carried out all the killings during the riots of 2002?“
Is it not time we bury forever the ghost of 2002?
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Author : Chandra Maniar is FCA (Fellow of ICAI) & has worked in India & East Africa (over 23 years in EA, with almost 15 years as Group Mg. Director in a large conglomerate. He is an expert in ”Personal Finance” and “Retail Investors’ He can be reached at his twitter account Chandra M @bharat_HDL
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Nice post sir! It is for the minorities to now take a call as to whether they will go with secular parties and suffer or go with so called communal parties and propsper.
Very good. post with a lot of facts and statistics. Keep it up. Entering active politics ?
Good Post……#VoteBJP…… #TrustBJP…..
Good Post……#VoteBJP #TrustBJP