December 26- the boxing day seems to have put BJP’s prime ministerial
candidate into a boxing ring like situation, where he gets one punch in his
face while the other one got deflected at the Ahmedabad metropolitan court. The
Centre decided to set up an inquiry commission to probe the snooping scandal
involving a certain ‘Saheb’, who is yet to be identified but widely believed to
be the Gujarat CM. The Centre’s move is clearly set to damage Modi’s
credentials drawing furuious reactions from the BJP, which has vowed to
challenge the Union Cabinet’s decision saying that it violates the federal
scheme of India provided in the Constitution.
So, while Modi seems to be heading to the Congress’s trap in snooping case,
he has got a big reprieve in one of the 2002 Gujarat riots cases. The
metropolitan court has given a clean chit to Modi in the Gulbarg Society
massacre case accepting the Supreme Court appointed Special Investigation Team
(SIT). Notwithstanding this clean chit, Modi has a long way to go before he
could have a similar clean chit from the minority community especially the
muslims. The perception is not bound by a court verdict and the perception is
very strong in 2002 riot cases that Modi did not follow, what Atal Bihari
Vajpayee called, ‘Rajdharma’. This perception can be compared with 1984 riots
and Congress’s (Rajiv Gandhi’s, to be precise) image. Taint can’t be wiped out,
but can’t be let to inflict further damage.
However, Modi supporters have got a good point to defend the BJP’s PM
candidate in TV debates. But, even the ardent supporter of Modi would not deny
that whatever Modi did by commission or omission during 2002 riots was right. It
is impossible to fathom that a few groups of ruffians tailor-made for communal
violence can kill so many people including a parliamentarian with a strong
willed government present in a state. People running the government must have
had a role to play directly or indirectly. If Congress governments are held
responsible for 1984 and 1986 riots, how could Modi’s government be an
exception in the case of 2002 riots.
Many close to Modi give him the benefit of doubt for being too new in the
chair when the riots took place in Gujarat arguing that he was yet not at the
helm of affairs of administration there. They also believe that when riots broke
out, Modi developed cold feet as he was caught unprepared to deal with the
situation. However, it is beyond the realm of logic as to why Modi did not
issue a clear cut instruction to the police and civil administration that steps
should be taken to esnure that no communal violence took place in Gujarat.
Also, why did not Modi ask organizations like Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu
Parishad, which are very close to BJP, to ensure that communal fabric is not
disturbed and the muslims are not harmed in the aftermath of Godhra massacre.
In any case micro-management of administration was not the responsibility of
the Chief Minister.
Further, why did not Modi show any urgency in ensuring justice to the
victims and bringing perpetrators to justice? Why did not Modi took immediate
steps to allay fears among the muslims and affected hindus? Such questions are
serious and pose a big challenge to Modi’s popularity and his claim for the top
job in the country.
