MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

Gandhinagar, May 4: SENIOR POLICE officers with whom K.P.S. Gill held a series of meetings on
Saturday, are learnt to have told the former Punjab Police chief that the law and order machinery had
collapsed in the state because they were given clear instructions to go soft on Bajrang Dal and VHP
activists. Sources Said the IPS officers told Gill, who has been appointed security adviser to Chief Minister
Narendra Modi, that this directive was given to them at a meeting of top officials on the night of the
Godhra incident on February 27.
To the constable on the street, this instruction on "leniency" meant inaction, and it soon degenerated into
complicity with the VHP-Bajrang Dal workers. (Hindustan Times 5.5.02)
5 th May
Chorus of protests against Gujarat pogrom (7)
NEW DELHI, MAY 4. Accusing the Sangh Parivar of engaging in ethnic cleansing in Gujarat,
academicians, scholars, political activists and social workers today urged all "secular" parties to formulate
a joint strategy to defeat communal forces and restore confidence among the minorities. "Use of religion
and caste for political gains has made an adverse impact on society. It is responsible for negative
polarisation of masses which is affecting peace and integrity of the nation," they lamented while speaking
at a conference on "Meeting the Challenge of Growing Communal Violence" organised by the Society for
Communal Harmony in the Capital. Urging political parties to shun their petty political interests and work
towards upholding the secular character of the country, the participants lamented that caste and
religion-based politics has hurt the integrity and progress of the nation. Urging people to foil all attempts to
disintegrate the country, they asserted that the need of the hour was to strengthen bonding of love and
compassion between different communities. (Hindu 5.5.02)
6 th May
Seven killed in fresh flare-up in Ahmedabad (7)
AHMEDABAD, May 5.— Seven persons were killed and 38 injured in fresh outbreak of violence in parts of
the city this afternoon. Indefinite curfew has been clamped in Dariilimda and Shahpur. Police lobbed
tear-gas shells and fired in Dani-limda and Shahpur to disperse violent mobs in^ dulging in arson,
stone-pelting and stabbing. Warring groups looted and burnt shops and'destroyed property in Behrampur,
Maninagar and Shahpur, Two persons were killed in stabbing incidents in Danilimda. Two persons were
killed in police firing while one, died after being hit by a tear-gas shell. The body of a middle-aged man
with multiple stab injuries Was found in Maninagar, police 'said, where a child was reportedly killed in a
stampede. The injured, most with bullet wounds, have been admitted to city hospitals. (Statesman 6.5.02)
6th May
Rs. 1,000 crores for Gujarat relief demanded (7)
NEW DELHI, MAY 5. A delegation of central trade unions, which visited the riot-torn parts of Gujarat and
the relief camps set up there, today demanded that the. Centre provide at least Rs. 1,000 crores
immediately for relief, rehabilitation, repairs and construction of buildings. It has also asked for quick
disposal of applications for compensation to facilitate early return to normality. People who are asked to
go back to their places must be provided with proper security, relatives of those who have been affected
by the carnage,' should be given compensation, the trade unions' team led by Gurudas Das Gupta,
general secretary of the AITUC, said. "Rs. 150 crores allocated is too inadequate. (Hindu 6.5.02)
6th May
Jain TV chief ends fast for peace (7)
Ahmedabad, May 5: Emotions were running high as the chairman of Jain TV, Dr J.K. Jain ended his
seven-day fast in presence of governor Sunder Singh Bhandari by accepting a glass of juice from Dr
Naimunnisa Kadri, a Muslim lady doctor serving at the Shah-e-Alam camp here on Saturday. Various
groups promised to work for peace even after Dr Jain left for Delhi and noted the "coincidence" that since
the last three-days, there had been no untoward incident of violence in the state. The biggest casualty in
the lasf. two months' events was the1 faith of the people and the need for the hour was to increase faith
between the communities, Mr Bhandari said. (Asian Age 6.5.02)
7 th May