MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

8 th June
Two charred bodies lead to panic in gandhinagar (7)
Gandhinagar, June 7: The residents of Vavol village, Gandhinagar district, reported a burnt car with two
charred bodies inside to the police on Friday. Fear spread as soon as the news reached Gandhinagar and
Ahmedabad though the police has ruled out a communal angle. According to reports reaching here, some
villagers found a Tata Indica, number GJ-l-BK-2218, completely burnt with two dead bodies in the back
seat. The bodies were charred beyond recognition. The Gandhinagar police has lodged a complaint of
murder at the Pethapur police station and superintendent of police Vivek Shrivastava said the incident is
not a communal one but probably the result of rivalry between local criminals. (asian age 8.6.02)
8 th June
Gujarat arms smuggling accused brought to CBI HQ (7)
NEW DELHI, JUNE 7: .TWO accused in the arms smuggling case in Gujarat were today brought here for
a thorough interrogation by the CBI and intelligence agencies to unravel the conspiracy behind the
incident. The two — Hari Bhai Manu Bhai Patel and Mohammed Ahmed Bhai — were brought here from
Gujarat this afternoon after a designated court in the Banaskantha district remanded them to CBI custody
till June 17. Probe so far indicated that the weapons were being smuggled into the state for creating
further disturbances, CBI officials said. They also did not rule out Pakistan's ISI trying to unleash a fresh
communal flare-up in the state. (Indian Exp 8.6.02)
9th June
Gujarat ministers to tell ‘real’ story (7)
Ahmedabad: About a dozen ministers of the Modi cabinet are on a new mission. They will be travelling to
various states in the country to tell people about the 'real' story behind the riots. A story completely at
variance with what the newspapers and the television channels reported.
In an elaborate exercise aimed at damage-control, the ministers have a clear brief. To meet the Gujarati
settlers in these states and tell them that the state government had done no wrong and that they should be
proud that they are from the non-violent land of the Mahatma. They will address press conferences to
speak on how the Godhra train carnage was pre-planned by anti-national forces, that the first two persons
killed in Naroda Patia were Hindus and how the mob at the Gulbarg Society was provoked when former
Congress MP Eshan Jaffri fired at them. Times of India 9.6.02)
9 th June
Modi dashes refugees hopes (7)
GANDHlNAGAR, June 8. — Mr Narendra Modi has dashed the hopes of refugees living in relief camps for
alternate permanent rehabilitation. The displaced people who have not yet returned to their homes have
Been demanding new rehabilitation sites.At a meeting held here on Friday organised by the Gujarat
Minorities Financial Development Corporation, the Gujarat chief minister dismissed the demand. He said
he did-not want to encourage ghettiosation. He believed that those who have returned have merged well,
with their former neighbours. He insisted that all people now living in relief camps must return home.
(Statesman 9.6.02)
10 th June
Mahashweta Devi for CBI probe into Gujarat pogrom (7)
New Delhi, June 9: NOTED LITTERATEUR Mahashweta Devi on Sunday demanded implementation of
the National Human Rights Commission recommendations on relief and rehabilitation of Gujarat carnage
victims. She also demanded a CBI inquiry into the cases of arson, loot, rape and murder, which took place
in Gujarat over last three months. Mahashweta Devi was addressing mediapersons at the Press Club
here after a visit to Gujarat as part of the Aman Ekta Manch team. The Manch team, comprising people
from creative fields, went to the State to assess the impact of the carnage. Other team members who
addressed the media included ,, Ashok Vajpeyi, Shubha Mudgal and Uma Chakravarty. The writer said
that even after three months of riots, the atmosphere is still not conducive for the safe return of the
displaced people living in the relief camps, to their homes. She described the riots as a well planned and
executed pogrom. (Hindustan Times 10.6.02)