Thwart
the Ploy to Whitewash Genocide
After the horrors of state-sponsored genocide, Modi’s BJP reaped the harvest
of hatred to sweep back to power. Now, under Modi whom the nation called a Chief
Monster, but whom L K Advani hails as “the best chief minister in the
last half century”, the minorities of Gujarat live in the valley of fear.
Now, recent statements of Justice T. Nanavati raise the ominous spectre of miscarriage
of justice. In an interview with NDTV24X7, Justice Nanavati who heads the Commission
of Enquiry into the riots, said: “Yes, there have been instances where
people have said that Bajrag Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad workers at the local
level instigated people to riot. But the complaints are primarily of a very
general nature. There is no real evidence that has been brought to name individual
Bajrang Dal or VHP leaders.”
Note that while Justice Nanavati conceded, “local level” Bajrang
Dal-VHP involvement in the violence, he emphasized the escape route –
no individual names have been accused. Does Justice Nanavati not know that witnesses
have been threatened to withdraw FIRs if they wish to return to their villages?
That human rights activists and minorities in Gujarat routinely face threats
and intimidations? Why is it that people have felt free to give testimonies
to independent tribunals, but are fearful of speaking up before the official
commission? Contrast Justice Nanavati’s remarks with the report of the
Concerned Citizens’ Tribunal, headed by Justice VR Krishna Iyer: “Testimonies
from the numerous survivors of the genocide in Gujarat provide abundant evidence
of dereliction of duty and in many cases even complicity of sections of the
police force in the ethnic cleansing of Muslims.”
It is the Gujarat government which is going all out to silence these testimonies.
Witness how the bold Zahira Sheikh, key witness in the Best Bakery case, has
now turned hostile. The reason is not far to seek – she is now closely
guarded by a BJP MLA, who tells the press they cannot meet her because, “it
is a matter of life and death for the 21 accused”!
Justice Nanavati went further to say that “on the evidence that we have
recorded so far, it would not be fair to say that only Muslims were targeted.
Initially, though Hindus may have been the perpetrators of violence, because
they were angry, later members of both communities engaged in violence”.
Since when it is the business of the heads of the enquiry commissions to offer
excuses and explanations for perpetrators of communal violence? If he can hold
anger responsible for Hindu violence, why does he not explain that Muslim violence
was because “they were fighting to save their lives, since police and
government were backing their killers”? Why is Justice Nanavati handing
out clean chits when the commission is yet to record evidence in key areas like
Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Bharuch and Narmada?
Justice Nanavati has said that those who wish to record the evidence have another
chance to do so on July 15. It is time for all secular, democratic forces in
Gujarat to come forward to help people shed fear and speak out on the 15th.
The whitewash of genocides must not be allowed – murderers must not be
given a clean chit.
– Kavita