MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

Ahmedabad, Sept. 1: Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi's personal pride received a major jolt on
Sunday with his ambitious Gaurav Yatra being postponed for the second time "in order to avoid a
confrontation with the communal Congress." The Congress has said the second postponement of the
yatra exposes the BJP, which has lost mass sup port. The BJP has blamed the Congress for compelling it
to post pone the yatra. Gujarat BJP activists are annoyed with Mr Modi and state BJP Rajendrasing Rana
for post ponding the yatra “under threats by Shankasinh Vaghela. However, the chief minister’s office and
the state BJP maintained the decision to postpone for yatra has been taken by the BJP to set an example
of “mature leadership.” The Gaurave Rathyatra, aimed at “spreading the truth ;about Godhra and Modi’s
historical achievements,” was to be flagged off on September 3 from at Phagvel. (Asian Age, 2.9.02)
Minorities left out of Gujarat Congress poll committees. (7)
New Delhi, Sept. 1: The Congress is trying hard to attract the Hindu vote-bank in Gujarat and is shying
away from inducting minority leaders in its fight against the BJP and the Sangh Parivar in the riot-hit state
ahead of the crucial Assembly polls. Minority leaders have been completely left out of various Congress
committees formed to monitor the Assembly elections in Gujarat. The AICC has constituted eight committees
— planning and strategy, finance, campaign, manifesto, media, publicity, grievances and election
man agement. But, barring two members, the minorities are hardly seen in the list of over 80 leaders
incorporated in these committees. (Asian Age, 2.9.02)
Finally, Nanavati visits Godhra Station to verify facts. (7)
GODHRA, SEPTEMBER 1 : SIX months after the Godhra carnage, the two-member Nanavati Commission,
constituted to probe the incident, spent more than an hour at the Godhra Railway Station to day
for an on-the-spot verification of evidences and statements placed before it. Justice G.T. Nanavati and
Justice K.G. Shah had also called all advocates—who are appearing before the Commission on behalf of
various agencies, in cluding the police, NGOs and re ligious organisations — to the scene of the carnage.
When asked later whether the Commission would be able to meet the December 5 deadline. Justice Shah
said: "It depends on all the people involved in the hear ing. If the advocates do not seek adjournments
frequently and all official agencies make submissions fast, we will be able to meet the deadline." While
walking down Platform 1 of the station, Justice Nanavati and Justice Shah sought informa tion on when
and how pelted stones went up to Cabin A Justice Nanavati even climbed up to Cabin A, which is a few
metres away from the spot where the S6 coach was set afire on February 28. The Commission tried to
verify-the statement given by railway staff present in Cabin A that day who said they could not sec the mob
when it torched the train because their view was blocked by a tree. They stood at the spot where the
coach was set on fire and looked up at Cabin A but didn't find their view blocked by anything. (Indian
Express, 2.9.02)
3 rd September
Vaghela too plays Hindutva card (7)
Phagvel, September 2: UNTIL SUNDAY, perhaps no one in Gujarat knew how to use the Hindutva card
as adeptly as Narendra Modi. Certainly not the Congress, a party restrained by its "secular" credentials.
But by Monday morning, Shankersinh Vaghela, a former BJP rebel turned Congress leader, had rewritten
the rules of the game. The result: a dormant and nondescript band of devout kshatriyas, who pray to the
legendary protector of cows Bhatiji Maharaj, became a front for the state Congress to launch its most
aggressive religious campaign ever in Gujarat - the Bhatiji Sena Rath Yatra. On Monday, thousands of
Congress and Seva Dal leaders and workers discarded their traditional party colours to don the canary
yellow scarf of the Bhatiji Maharaj clan. (Hindustan Times 3.9.02)
SC: Gujarat can wait (7)
New Delhi: In a setback to the BJP's attempt to ensure early elections in Gujarat, the Supreme Court on
Monday declared that "there is nothing wrong in holding (the) Gujarat polls in November-December" as
the Election Commission had indicated it was prepared to do. Stating that a decision on the Presidential
reference before October 6 "is impossible for all practical purposes", the five-judge Constitutional Bench
set September 17 as the date on which hearings on the matter would commence. The SC's ruling has
forced the BJP into a corner since all along it has insisted that under Article 174 of the Constitution, the
new Gujarat assembly must be convened by October 6 since its last meeting was on April 6. Though party
spokesman Arun Jaitley said on Monday that there was no question of imposing President's rule, legal