MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

AHMEDABAD:The IPS fraternity received yet another jolt on Sunday when the state government
transferred five senior IPS officers of the additional director-general (ADO) of police and director-general
of police (DGP) ranks with immediate effect. Notwithstanding the flak the Modi regime received for the
transfers of superintendents of police, in this case too some of the officers have been transferred after
brief stints, for acting against the interests of the government, especially in the post-Godhra period. The
officers transferred are ADG (administration) A K Bhar-gav who has now been moved to the Armed Units
& Training in place of ADG R B Shreekumar, a move that was long overdue since Bhargav had been in
charge of administration for over four years. Shreekumar who has worked in the intelligence department
of the Kerala government is now ADG (intelligence) in place of G C Raiger who replaces Bhargav. (Times
of India 8.4.02)
8 th April
Angry Gujarat mob loots Muslim girl’s dahej (7)
Ahmedabad, April 7: When Femida Kureshi and her 60-year-old mother, Rasheeda Bibi, fled their homes
at Sabarmati Jawahar Chowk to escape a chasing mob, little did they know that their lives will change for
good. The money saved by Rasheeda Bibi for her 20-year-old daughter's dahej has been looted, leaving
her marriage plans in limbo. Taking shelter at the Juhapura relief camp Femida Kureshi and her mother
are living with the hope that her betrothed will "understand" her plight and will go ahead with the marriage
that was scheduled in another two months. (Asian Age 8.4.02)
8 th April
Foreign donors stay away from Gujarat riot victims (7)
Ahmedabad: Voluntary bodies in Gujarat never had a problem raising international funds for their
development and humanitarian activities until the recent communal riots. NGOs are now finding it difficult
to convince foreign donors to help the riot victims. Is it mere donor fatigue, as thev have already pumped
in a lot of money into Gujarat, or don't they want to be seen as supporting relief work in a communally
charged situation? Many here fuel donor fatigue is not the issue. "If foreign agencies fund NGOs helping
riot victims, it would be considered political in terventinn and they don't wain that." says an angry Supriya
Akerkar who heads Gujaral opera tions for Action Aid, a leading funding agency. (TOI 8.4.02)
8th April
Rethink time for investors in Gujarat (7)
Ahmedabad, April 7: Three weeks before the budget, industrialists gathered for a three-day meet —
Resurgent Gujarat. Most decided Gujarat was a great investment destination.
Three weeks later, a lot of people were having second thoughts as Gujarat burned, post-Godhra. A
German manufacturing company was in the final stages of setting up shop in south Gujarat. News of the
riots reached the German headquarters. Promptly came the message: pack up and relocate to some
other state. Around the same time, an American biotech firm was planning to set up a clinical research
unit in Gujarat. It followed in the footsteps of the German company. A pharmaceutical firm headquartered
in Calcutta was in the final stages of shifting base to Ahmedabad. It has shelved its plan. So did a number
of companies which were planning to move out of expensive Mumbai to low-cost Ahmedabad. (Telegraph
8.4.02)
9 th April
Second Gujarat IAS officer quits (7)
Gandhinagar, April 8: Senior IAS officer Vijay Ranchan, who was recently posted as the principal
secretary for cow protection and pilgrimage places, has put in his papers. Mr. Ranchan, who is an 1967
IAS batch officer and one of the senior most bureaucrats in Gujarat, said there is disenchantment within
the younger IAS officers because of the way in which their own colleagues have handled situations in riot
hit state. Decisions were taken by officials after gauging the mood of the political bosses. Sometimes they
read it correctly while at other times they misread it completely, Mr. Ranchan said. (Asian Age 9.4.02)
9 th April
PM reaction to determine next move (7)