MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

most inmates, many of them Muslims, are not ready to go to government hospitals fearing a threat to their
lives. Exposing the Gujarat government's hollow claims that all is well in relief camps in the state, the
Godhra relief camp is an example of government negligence coupled with callousness on the part of the
local civic administration.
Panchmahals collector Jayanti Ravi, however, said that stray incidents of diseases should not be
considered as an epidemic. "We have examined each and every person at the camp. (Asian Age 26.4.02)
28 th April
Violence was planned months in advance: U.K. officials (7)
LONDON, APRIL 27. British officials in India have been quoted by the BBC as saying that the violence in
Gujarat was "planned, possibly months in advance" and its aim was to "purge Muslims from Hindu areas."
It said that according to a "damning" internal report, prepared by British officials who visited Gujarat, the
violence had "all the hallmarks of ethnic cleansing and that reconciliation between Hindus and Muslims is
impossible while the Chief Minister remains in power. It's a damning indictment of the State Government.
It says the violence, far from being spontaneous, was planned possibly months in advance, carried out by
an extremist Hindu organisation with the support of the State Government," the BBC said.
This is the second time in a week that the findings of a British High Commission investigation have been
"leaked" to the media despite the Indian Government's strong protests. (Hindu 28.4.02)
27 th April
FIR scare for relief camp (7)
Ahmedabad, April 26: The Dariyakhan Ghummat relief camp in the city is terror-struck after an FIR was
lodged against the camp in-charge, Inamul Iraki, forcing him to go into hiding.
Iraki, a businessman and social worker, has been declared "wanted" along with 16 others for the arson
outside the police commissioner's office on Tuesday A local resident has been arrested. The FIR,
registered by a head constable, says around 2 pm on Tuesday Iraki led a group of about 60 camp inmates
and local residents that pelted stones and burnt shops near the police commissioner's office. Contacted
on his cellphone, Iraki said he was being framed
"at the behest of some political leaders who want the camp to be disbanded or shifted".
"The shops that were burnt belonged to Muslims. Do they think that Muslims will destroy shops owned by
Muslims? It is a ridiculous charge," he said.(Telegraph 27.4.02)
27th April
Two more die in Gujarat (7)
AHMEDABAD AND BARODA: April 26: Early morning violence on Friday in the communally sensitive
Juhapura area of the city left one person dead in police firing. Trouble started when mobs violated curfew
and indulged in stone throwing and hurling petrol and crude bombs. Though unofficial sources say two
persons were killed in the city in overnight and early morning violence, police sources restricted the figure
to one. Violence in Guptanagar are of Juhapura began at 3 am and went on till 6 am after Army, RAF and
city police had to worked together to bring the situation under control. Vejalpur police claimed that not a
single person was injured in the three-hour riot that rocked the area. T (Asian Age 27.4.02)
27 th April
Minorities Commission up in arms over IB goof-up (7)
New Delhi, April 26: THE NATIONAL Commission for Minorities has reacted sharply to the arrest of three
persons described as militants of the Babbar Khalsa. All three — Balbir Singh, Sukhwinder Singh alias
Sukhi and Karamjit Singh alias Faridkotia — caught by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in June 1999 were
acquitted by a Tis Hazari court on April 5. The court also passed severe strictures against the city police's
Special Cell, which had also described the trio as "dreaded militants" of the Babbar Khalsa. Tarlochan
Singh, vice-chairman of the Minorities Commission, on Tuesday wrote a letter to IB Director K.P. Singh
and Delhi Police Commissioner Ajai Raj Sharma asking them for a report on the incident and also to take
action against the officers "who have done this unethical act". (Hindustan Times 27.4.02)
27 th April
BSP Muslim MLAs at crossroads (7)