MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

situation, "no government could have done more than this". He also reiterated that the violence in Gujarat
was "a reaction" —though not justified—to the Godhra killings. (Indian Exp 28.3.02)
29 th March
Sack Modi to save Gujarat, say activists (7)
NEW DELHI: A day after Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi met the Prime Minister to claim all was
under control in his state, a group of civil liberties activists from Bar-oda came to Delhi to "tell the country
that if Modi is not removed, nobody can save Gujarat".Journalist and human rights activist Kirit Bhatt — a
co-accused with defence minister George Fer-nandes in the Emergency-era Bar-oda Dynamite case —
told Times News Network that "Modi being called to Delhi is just a show, to ask for the score". Contrary to
government claims, the activists from Gujarat say that now mobs are committing "low-intensity,
high-precision violence" against Muslim property. (TOI 29.3.02)
31 st March
Curfew imposed in Khandwa (7)
MARCH 29. Curfew was imposed in three areas of Khandwa town here today following clashes between
two communities over a Holi festival related issue In which 12 police and four civilians sustained injuries,
Khandwa Collector Praveen Garg told PTI that curfew has been imposed in Ghaspura, Ka-harwadi and
Bhagatsingh areas following the arson and stone-throwing and six people have been nabbed in this
connection. (Hindu 30.3.02)
30th March
Modi plays perfect policeman (7)
Ahmedabad, March 29: If Narendra Modi wants, Narendra Modi can. Throttle the threat of violence, that
is. Today was the Gujarat chief minister's first big test since his failure to prevent the riots after Godhra.
Today was also Modi's first big test since he returned from Delhi after being handed a single-point agenda
by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee: restore normality. Gujarat did not erupt in a festival of colours—
Holi celebrations were muted—but it did not erupt in violence either, as had been feared after incendiary
leaflets appeared in Ahmedab-ad's streets a couple of days ago. (Telegraph 30.3.02)
31 st March
Escalated violence leaves 6 dead, curfew imposed in Gujarat (7)
AHMEDABAD AND BARODA: March 30: Gujarat continued to burn with violence escalating in Anand,
Kadi, Borsad and Viramgam, leaving six dead and over 20 injured.- Fresh curfew has been imposed at
Kadi and Viramgam apart from Ahmedabad, Baroda and other cities 'where curfew has continued for
more than a week. 50 persons were arrested in Kadi for mob violence, while 1,000 arrested in Baroda for
pillion riding. 162 arrested in Ahmedabad violations. More than hundred persons have already been
arrested in the last two days in Ahmedabad as a precautionary measure. Violence escalated in Anand
district on Friday night and continued on Saturday. Several incidents of mob violence were reported from
Baroda, Kadi, Mehsana, Borsad and Viraitigam. Ahmedabad remained calm barring one stabbing incident
on Saturday afternoon. (Asian Age 31.3.02)
31 st March
Modi over-enthusiastic in invoking Poto against Muslims (7)
New Delhi, March 30: The Gujarat government went ahead and invoked the Prevention of Terrorism
Ordinance against 62 Muslims who were allegedly involved in the Godhra carnage with out even taking
the prerequisite action ' to enforce Poto, said Union law and justice minister Arun Jaitley. In an exclusive
interview with The Asian Age, Mr Jaitley also dismissed any possibility of Opposition governed states not
enforcing Pota. In response to a question on the efficacy of the newly passed Prevention of Terrorism Act,
which was first enforced through an ordinance called Poto and particularly in respect of Gujarat which
invoked POTO exclusively against the Muslims, the law minister said, "As far as several state
governments are concerned, they have yet to take action for putting Poto into force even when the
ordinance was there." (Asian Age 31.3.02)
31st March