'Gujarat' haunts Modi; Goa saves him
SANDESH PRABHUDESAI, PANAJI | 07 June 2013 22:14 IST
Even after 11 years, Gujarat genocide still haunts over Narendra Modi but he may be ‘justified’ by his party, incidentally once again in Goa at the BJP national executive meeting.
In 2002, while the BJP was ruling Gujarat as well as the nation, Modi was fully protected by his party leaders though the NDA allies had asked for his head.
In spite of some of the NDA allies opposing his projection as the prime minister today, BJP once again seems to be in a mood to counter it and promote him to head the nation.
“Goa has always proved lucky for Modi”, Smriti Irani, the BJP spokesperson has already said it.
At the national executive meeting held in Goa in April 2002 soon after the Gujarat riots, Modi had staged a drama on the first day of the conclave – 12 April to be precise - by offering to resign.
But not only then BJP president Jana Krishnamurthy but even then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had come for his rescue by rejecting his resignation and defending him publicly.
Vajpayee, who had criticized Modi in Gujarat by stating that he had not performed Raj Dharma during the riots, had changed his language and asked in a public rally in Goa: Pehle Aag Kisne Lagayi (Who lit the fire first), referring to Godhra carnage.
Vajpayee had even taken the Telugu Desam Party head on when Chandrababu Naidu had threatened to withdraw support to the government and move out of the NDA.
The same Gujarat episode haunts him today even after 11 years, with the NDA allies opposing him as the prime ministerial candidate.
The only difference is that then home minister L K Advani, who stood behind him like a rock, has today distanced himself away from Modi and has not even attended the national executive meeting on the first day.
However, sources disclose to goanews.com that the veteran BJP leader has been persuaded by the RSS to support Modi as the campaign chief, the post Advani had held to come back to power in 1999 Lok Sabha election.
It is however still a question whether the BJP would project Modi as the prime ministerial candidate even tomorrow, if not in Goa, mainly because the Gujarat genocide still haunts over Modi with his own NDA allies opposing him.
The important NDA allies like Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and Janata Dal (United) have strongly opposed Modi as the prime minister.
As the BJP is expected to chalk out its political strategies in Goa by keeping the NDA in mind and not just the party alone, it appears that the saffron party would never be able to announce him as the prime ministerial candidate.
It may simply begin at the post of BJP campaign chief and end at the same.
Anti-BJP and anti-Hindu groups’ and Indian Media, apparently pampered by congress party, have been accusing BJP for communal riots over the last decade! And the very same groups together with Indian Media are conveniently overlooking the riots that took place in Congress ruled states?
The country over the last 60 years has seen hundreds of people killed in clashes between communities, and many have been in states ruled by the 'secular' Congress. While BJP cannot be excused for the various riots under its rule, Congress which boasts of exclusivity to secularism cannot escape responsibility either.
So, are the riots under BJP, 'communal riots', and those under the Congress 'secular riots'? Are all ‘Secular Riots’ to be forgotten by all Indians? These apparently absurd questions have to be raised, in the light of the citizen groups (indicated above) and Indian Media being bought in by Congress claims, that every action under Congress rule is SECULAR. The recent Rajastan riots, of which most citizens groups (indicated above) and Indian Media have convincingly forgotten, have in fact put this myth to rest!
Here is a VERY SHORT LIST OF GENOCIDES that took place under congress rule:
1. 1964 Communal riots in Rourkela & Jamshedpur - 2,000 Killed
2. 1947 Communal riots in Bengal - 5,000 Killed
3. August 1967 - 200 Killed - Communal riots in Ranchi
4. 1969 - Communal riots in Ahmadabad - More than 512 Killed
5. 1970 - Bhiwandi communal riots, Maharashtra - Around 80 killed
6. April 1979 - Communal riots in Jamshedpur, Bengal - More than 125 killed - Ruling party CPIM
7. August 1980 - Moradabad Communal riots - 2,000 Killed
13. Feb 1983 - Communal violence in Nallie, Assam - 2,000 killed - PM – Indira Gandhi CONGRESS
8. May 1984 - Communal riots, Bhiwandi - 146 Killed, 611 Injured
9. Oct 1984 - Communal riots in Delhi - 2,733 Killed
10. April 1985 - Communal riots in Ahmedabad - 300 Killed
11. July 1986 - Communal violence in Ahmedabad - 59 Killed
12. Apr-May 1987 - Communal violence in Meerut, UP - 81 killed
Anti-BJP and anti-Hindu gangsters are constantly up in arms blaming Modi despite the fact that Supreme Court of India has cleared his name of any wrongdoing in Godhra riot of 2002! And if at all Indian Media and these citizens groups (indicated above) are so much concern of human killing in 2002 Godhra riot, why are they not reminding us of all the riots that took place under Congress government? AND How can one forget the 1984 anti-Sikhs riots or the 1984 Sikh Massacre which happened under the reign of the party with “Hand” symbol and were more than 11,000 deaths were reported by CBI. OR
Should we conclude that ALL THOSE WHO WERE KILLED in riots during congress rule WERE BORN TO BE KILLED only through Secular Riots!
Conclusively can we say: “Anti-BJP and anti-Hindu groups’ and Indian Media are looking at every happening in BJP ruled states with ‘JAUNDICED EYE’ and hence the outcry."
The funniest part is, guys like Uday who probably seem to be hardcore sangh apologists always shout from the rooftop:
What is wrong if we kill X number of Muslims in riots?
Congress too did a similar thing in XYZ cases.
So in the essence they are trying to show that they are not different from Congress
कॉन्ग्रेसीन गाय मारली जाल्यार आमकां वासरू मारपाचो अधिकार कित्याक ना?
Similarly, why do you point out at our corruption and misdeeds during our ten years in power when Congress did the same for over 50 years?
What a party with a difference?