Parrikar needs to give his take on Gujarat riots
In September 2013, Manohar Parrikar in an interview to a freelance writer, who published a piece in the New York Times, made this comment about Narendra Modis handling of the Gujarat riots. “There were many reasons why people lost control in 2002 after the dead bodies (of Hindu pilgrims from an earlier attack) were shown on TV. The administration should have clamped down on any violence, (if I were in his place) I would have ensured…But Modi was new to the job as chief minister. It was a blot on Modi’s career, but he was not personally a part of it. If he is guilty by connivance he should be punished. But investigations have given him a clean chit.”
He went on to add that the acts committed during the Gujarat violence does not require any apology from Modi but “a correction” and he has done that. By correction Manohar Parrikar meant that there have been no riots in Gujarat post Godhra. The Goa Chief Minister also took the established line that investigations have given him clean chit. But as the Lok Sabha polls reaches it business end and the results will be known in four weeks time, it is important for Manohar Parrikar to clearly specify if he absolved Narendra Modi from having connived with those who murdered Muslims especially at the Naroda Patiya locality in Ahmedabad.
Narendra Modi made Maya Kodnani, convicted of being leading mob that led to the killing of dozens of innocents at Naroda Patiya on February 28, 2002 a minister in 2007, after giving her a ticket in December 2002, ten months after the killings. Even though the conviction came later, her role was clearly established. Modi backers shamelessly refer to the Sikh riots of 1984 and draw parallels to Jagdish Tytler being made a Minister by Manmohan Singh in 2004. Shameless because drawing this parallel amounts to almost seeking justification for the act of Modi inducting Maya Kodnani in 2007. Inducting Tytler was a despicable act and cannot be condoned. The BJP leadership had in fact marched to Rashtrapati Bhavan, protesting against Tytlers induction. Why did they get cold feet when Kodnani was inducted for a massacre which was at least as bad, if not worse?
If Mr Parrikar feels that Modi has made a “correction” by ensuring there have been no riots, does this stand in the face of him inducting his party leader, for leading a murderous mob to massacre innocents, in his cabinet. Correction, in a civilized world begins with punishing criminals, not merely ensuring that the crime doesn’t take place again
These questions are being asked in the wake of Modis refusal to apologise for the Gujarat riots at a time when he has definitely concluded that he will be Indias next Prime Minister. And by extension if this at all happens, Goa’s Chief Minister may well be in the scheme of things to play a larger central role, including as a Chief Minister. While there can be a very logical argument that Goans should set aside all differences to back its own son getting such an crucial central role from our tiny state, the backdrop of Modis role in Gujarat, makes it imperative for Parrikar now to once again clarify the questions asked.
The line between failing to take executive action and spurring the actions evaporates when you hear what Modi said as he started his speech on February 28 asking for calm in the very day the Naroda Patiya massacre happened
“In all 58 people were trapped inside a rail bogie and mercilessly massacred by cannibals. This crime cannot be forgiven. The culprits will be appropriately punished for the crime they have committed. Not only that, we will set an example so that in future no one will dare dream to commit such a heinous act.”
At the same time he asked the people of Gujarat to exercise calm and restraint, a fine example of lip service after giving a command to violence.
The ghosts of Gujarat aren’t just in Gujarat. Goa waits for its chief minister to speak
