MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

1 st May 2002
Three killed in Gujarat violence (7)
AHMEDABAD/VADODARA: Three persons, two in Vadodara and one in Ahmedabad were killed in
continuing clashes in Gujarat late on Monday night. A large mob In Ahmedabad one person was killed in
police firing in the Ranip area of Sabarmati when an irate mob set a plastic factory on fire which led to
stone throwing. Interestingly, the police fired only seven rounds at Sabarmati in which two persons were
injured of which one died and three others were injured by teargas shells and stones. Explosions
continued in the Bakar Ali ni Pol area of Kalupur through the night where one person was seriously
injured. (Times of India 1.5.02)
1 st May 2002
India’s secular character in danger: Opp (7)
New Delhi: SENIOR OPPOSITION leaders on Tuesday painted a grim picture of the state of affairs in the
country under the Sangh Parivar's hegemony and accused even Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee of behaving like
a representative of the Hindutva brigade and not the Prime Minister. While moving the motion under rule
184 on Gujarat in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav argued that
the 'Prime Minister's obstinacy in not removing chief minister Narendra Modi was shocking as Gujarat had
raised larger questions of India's fate as a secular state. While his colleague in the People's Front, CPI-M
leader Somnath Chatterjee went a step further, alleging that the Sangh Parivar had come out openly to
implement its Hindutva agenda, former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar said he , already saw signs of
fascism and little space for democratic politics had been now left in the country. (Pioneer 1.5.02)
1st May 2002
Omar offers to resign, PM is yet to accept (7)
New Delhi: The National Conference’s Omar Abdullah, minister of state for external affairs has submitted
his resignation from the government but Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is yet to accept it 'Making his
resolve to quit the Vajpayee government quite apparent, Mr Abdullah chose not to sit on the treasury
benches during the Lok Sabha debate on Gujarat under Rule 184 on Tuesday. Mr. Omar Abdullah
told reporters that since his party, the National Conference, had chosen to abstain during the voting on
the motion under Rule 184, it would be morally incorrect of him to remain in the government while not
voting in favour of it. (Asian Age 1.5.02)
1 st May 2002
Orissa district is tense as tribals burn church (7)
Bhubaneswar, April 30: Tension prevailed in Koraput district of Orissa after a group of about 100 tribals
torched a church in Badgada village on Thursday. According to the police, no casualty has been reported
although 20 to 25 people were inside the church when the tribals set it on fire. Reports said Badagada
village comprises of eight Hindu and seven Christian households. On the occasion of Chaita Parab, a
tribal festival celebrated on Wednesday, around 100 tribals congregated for worship at the village temple,
which is about 200 metres away from the church. However, the next day, some tribals found the idol
rnissing from its original place. Suspecting the hand of someone from the Christian community behind the
vanishing of the idol, the tribals rushed to the church and set it on fire without serving any warning. (Asian
Age 1.5.02)
2 ND May 02
Let’s make a new Gujarat: Sonia (7)
AHMEDABAD, MAY 1. The Congress president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, today came down heavily on the
ruling BJP as it stood for "corruption, communalism and mal-administration." ddressing a farmers' rally at
Porbandar, Ms. Gandhi condemned both the Godhra carnage and the post-Godhra violence in the State.
Without naming the BJP or the Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, she said those who were at the helm of
affairs could have prevented the communal holocaust but did not do so only to take political advantage of
the situation. Referring to the Godhra carnage, she said the perpetrators of the Godhra carnage were
"devils". But what followed the train tragedy was equally shameful and condemnable. Those who did not
try to prevent it were turning 'Gandhiji's Guj-arat into Godse's Gujarat', she said. Hitting out at the Prime