MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

on the Gujarat carnage in a television interview where he said that the issue of communalisation has troubled
him the most. "As a President, I have often felt helpless, when so many delegations come to me and
tell their woes and I can not do anything about it. Gujarat was a major example of help lessness." He said
something like Gujarat and the related 'communal issues have trou bled him the most because it had
larger implications. "It affects the future of nation, unity of nation and I was most affected by events like
that," he said and in an apparent attack against the protagonists of Hindutva, Mr Narayanan said the
country was in need of an "Inditva" ideology. (Asian Age 14.8.02)
14 th Aug
Modi Govt may move court for early polls (7)
Gandhinagar: The ruling BJP is report edly preparing for a legal battle if the Election Commission (EC)
does not grant its request for holding early elec tions in October. The government, it is learnt, anticipates
that the EC may take a "middle path" by declaring elections in early December. But that is not acceptable
to the ruling BJP. Grounds for challenging the im pending EC order are being prepared in the state capital,
in coordination with the BJP headquarters in New Delhi. The officials already feel that the Chief Elec tion
Commissioner J M Lyngdoh is in no mood to allow elections in the next cou ple of months. Elections are
due in the state in Feb ruary 2003, but chief minister Narendra Modi, while tendering his resignation on July
19, had requested for elections in September or October. Top sources in the government said, if the EC
turns down the early election plea on grounds of law and order, it will not stand in the court of law at a time
when the EC has allowed elections in Jammu and Kash mir. However , the latest news that the EC is
having a second look at the J&K polls has caused concern in the BJP cir cles here. There is a feeling in the
gov ernment circles that the EC may actual ly not take the law and order line while postponing the Gujarat
elections. It may actually raise the issue of complaints about many people being struck off the electoral
rolls. (Times of India 14.8.02)
16 th Aug
EC decision on Gujarat election by Saturday (7)
New Delhi: One week after their whirl wind tour of the riot-affected areas in Ahmedabad and Vadodara, the
three elec tion commissioners are said to be close to reaching a decision on the scheduling of elections in
Gujarat. According to Election Commission (EC) sources, chief election commissioner J M Lyngdoh might
an nounce the verdict as early as Friday or Saturday Despite the intense pressure being brought to bear by
the BJP — which this week accused the EC of being "biased" — the three commissioners are likely to
take a decision purely on the basis of what they saw and learned during their visit to the state. And the
indications so far suggest that an early election — as desired by Gu jarat chief minister Narendra Modi —
is unlikely Contrary to BJP spokesman Arun Jaitley's claim that "98 per cent of Gujarat was unaffected by
the violence", local intelli gence reports provided to the election com missioners in Ahmedabad said at least
154 of the 182 assembly segments in the state had been affected by the riots. The intelli gence
presentation also stated that almost one lakh voters have been "disenfran chised". (Times of India 16.8.02)
16th Aug
Police survey gave a grim picture to CEC (7)
Ahmedabad: A police survey on the Gujarat riots opposes the view of Arun Jaitley, BJP in-charge of the
state, that the condition of the state is 98 per cent normal. The report was presented before the Chief
Elec tion Commissioner J M Lyngdoh during his re cent visit and going by it, state officials say the sit uation
is not conducive for early polls. At least 154 of the 182 assembly constituencies of Gujarat have been
affected in the riots, the re port said. Almost one lakh voters have been dis enfranchised. Nearly 992
villages and 151 towns under 225 po lice stations have been direct victims of the com munal riots which
makes them "extra commu nally sensitive'V'If this is the situation, then on voting day, political parties would
escort their vot ers to the booths and compel them to vote, which would provoke the rival parties and lead
to a con flagration," said a top police officer. (Times of India 16.8.02)
17 th Aug
Poll panel cites law and order breakdown as reason for delay (7)
NEW DELHI, Aug. 16. -There are several key reasons for the Election Commission's decision to put off
polls in Gujarat, the most important be ing, in its unanimous view, the absence of a climate of law and