MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

24 th July
Gujarat is not ready for polls: Sahmat (7)
New Delhi, July 23: Asserting that the situation in Gujarat is far from normal and a peaceful rathyatra is no
yardstick to judge normalcy, Sahmat has said that it will approach the Election Commission later this week
against holding early Assembly polls in the riot-torn state. "While the situation in Ahmedabad appears to
be improving, a deeper look makes it evident that nothing has changed on the ground, particularly in the
villages," SAHMAT said, releasing a survey report on the Panchmahals and Dahod districts of Gujarat.
The report, "State of Ruins," has been brought out by Mr Gauhar Raza and Ms Shabnam Hashmi for two
NGOs — Sahmat and Prashant. It states that the riots were premeditated and well-organised and cannot
be construed as a spontaneous reaction to anything. Mr Raza said the victims had revealed that members
of the mobs, running into thousands, wore saffron bands and used inflammables, including petrol and a
"white powdery substance." (Asian Age 24.7.02)
24 th July
What normal? Gujarat’s as bad as it was on Feb 27-28 (7)
Ahmedabad-based Jesuit priest, Father CedricPrakash, was in NewDelhi last week to speak at a
SAHMAT meet. And last month, he was one of the three persons from India invited by the US
Commission on International Religious Freedom to give his version of the Gujarat carnage. He not only
gave a three-page written testimony to that commission but was also cross-examined by a 14-member
high-powered committee. Associated with several Christian organisations, Prakash is the director of an
Ahmedabad based human rights centre, Prashant. During an interview with HUMKA QURAISHI, he
stressed that though he had witnessed several riots, the Gujarat riots have been the worst ever and that
the situation in Ahmedabad is far from "normal", as claimed by the government. (Indian Exp 24.7.02)
25th July
Advani says Modi best CM in 50 years (7)
New Delhi, July 24: Deputy prime minister L.K. Advani on Wednesday described Gujarat chief minister
Narendra Modi's handling of the riots as the best job done by any chief minister in the last 50 years. He
added that the situation in the state was conducive to elections. The remark, made in his reply after the
marathon debate on Gujarat in the Rajya Sabha, angered the entire Opposition as Mr Advani tried to
absolve the Centre and the state governments of responsibility for the Gujarat riots. Not satisfied with Mr
Advani's reply to the clarification sought by the members, the entire Opposition staged a walkout. Mr
Advani was visibly angry as the Opposition raised objections several times during his reply. The objections
even led to the adjournment of the House for 15 minutes as the Opposition refused to heed the Chair.
(Asian Age 25.7.02)
25 th July
Constitutional compulsion to hold elections in Gujarat, BJP tells EC (7)
NEW DELHI, JULY 24. The Bharatiya Janata Party today told the Election Commission that it was now a
"constitutional and democratic imperative that elections be held in Gujarat at the earliest" and emphasised
that Article 174 of the Constitution made the holding of early elections a "constitutional compulsion" which
the Commission cannot disregard. A five-member party delegation led by its president, Venkaiah Naidu,
met the three Election Commissioners, J.M. Lyngdoh, T.S. Krishnamur-thy and B.B. Tandon, for about 30
minutes this morning after which the leaders said the Commission had assured them of an early decision.
The party was at pains to point out that it did not need to and did not want to meet the Election
Commission as after the dissolution of the Gujarat Assembly it was, in any case, the Commission's duty to
hold elections. However, the BJP wanted to counter the high-pitched campaign by other political parties,
especially the Congress, against holding of early polls. (Hindu 25.7.02)
25 th July
Narayanan says onus of peace on majority (7)
New Delhi: Taking a gentle but pointed swipe at those , who have used "the poison of communalism" to
cause "so much violence and hatred in some parts of our country", outgoing President K R Narayanan
said on Wednesday that "the Hindus, who form the majority, (need) to speak out in the traditional spirit of