19/02/2009

How Much More Evidence is Needed?

A former high ranking officer of the Gujarat Police Mr.R.B.Sreekumar in an affidavit submitted to the SIT(Special Investigation Team) appointed by the Supreme Court to investigate into the cases of the anti-Muslim riots in the state in 2002, highlighted Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s enmity towards Muslims.
A layman catching the disease of hatred towards others is in itself a highly dangerous thing as it is contagious, spreads fast, leaves deep wounds and spoils the environment. It becomes all the more hazardous if a person holding a responsible position is afflicted by it, and moreover if that person is Narendra Modi, then it amounts to contaminating the whole environment. This disease of such people often becomes a crime as a large section of society has to face its consequences.
In 2002, R.B.Sreekumar was in charge of the State Intelligence Bureau and had retired as the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP). After retirement, he started working for the oppressed and joined famous social worker Teesta Setalvad to further this cause. In his affidavit he mentions, ‘……on 7th May 2002, the Chief Minister summoned me to his chamber and asked me not to keep a check on the Sangh Parivar and its activities as they were not involved in anything illegal. On the contrary, I was ordered to observe the Muslim fighters and gather information about Aman Path which was alleged to be a Muslim group.’
According to reliable sources, another senior serving police officer Rahul Sharma has also submitted a similar affidavit to the SIT, which too brings to the fore the Gujarat government’s enmity towards Muslims. At that time Rahul Sharma was the SP of Bhavnagar and now he is the Deputy Inspector General of the CBI. He has stated in his affidavit, ‘The then Minister of State for Internal Affairs, Govardhan Zadafia contacted me and told me that the ratio of the deaths resulting from the police firing was not right, which I felt was a complaint that the number of Hindu deaths in Bhavnagar was more than the Muslims .
The Gujarat government has rejected the accusation of R.B.Sreekumar saying that he is a biased officer, which is proved by the fact that at present he is working with Teesta Setalvad and therefore what he says is not worth the attention and reply of the government.
Sources say this was done on the suggestion of the then security advisor to the Chief Minister K.P.S.Gill. He had reportedly suggested to the State Police Chief K. Chakravarthy that there was no need to reform the politicians. In other words proceeding against the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal was unwarranted. He had further suggested that people affected by the communal riots living in the refugee camps should be moved from there. R.B.Sreekumar has included this in his affidavit. He says he can be questioned on this by people who are looking for the truth, but no one has queried him yet. He wondered why he was not being asked.
On the other hand, Sharma has said in his affidavit that the police records concerning the riots have been destroyed, a lot of evidence has been obliterated, but being conscientious he handed over all the evidence he possessed to the investigation team.
Sources say that the Modi government’s anger has resulted in both the officers being charge-sheeted in 2005 and declared guilty of disclosing confidential information. But last year the Ahmedabad Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal absolved them of the charge. On the other hand, Sharma was transferred from the post of SP of Bhavnagar and given an unimportant position in the Ahmedabad Control Room. SIT has submitted its repot to the Supreme Court which includes reinvestigations on 10 important instances of riots in the state.
There have been many such reports about the personal involvement of Narendra Modi, his ministers and the Gujarat government, but the criminals are still at large and nothing is being done to stop their activities.
After all this how much more evidence is needed ??

Editor:Parvaz Rahmani, sehroza DAWAT, 19th Feb09 translated by: Salma Nazir, Riyadh



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