Gujarat Riots: The True Story - The Truth of the 2002 riots - Myths of Gujarat Riots - 4

Myth 4: The Gujarat police turned a blind eye to the rioting

Fact: Even though the situation was terrible, the police performed its work extremely efficiently. The police force was woefully insufficient. Uday Mahurkar reports for India Today (18 March 2002):

“Ahmedabad has a police force of 6,000, including 1,500 armed personnel. In addition, the entire state has just four companies (530 jawans) of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) of which only one company could be spared for Ahmedabad. Considering that the mobs that simultaneously surfaced at nearly half a dozen places numbered from 2,000 to 10,000, the forces proved woefully inadequate. At one point on February 28 there were at least 25,000 people targeting the Muslim localities in Ahmedabad alone.”

See link: http://www.indiatoday.com/itoday/20020318/cover.shtml

Despite this, the police fired more than 3,900 rounds in the first three days alone. As many as 98 people were shot dead by the police in the first three days, majority of whom are Hindus. For the complete period of rioting, despite the presence of the Army for 73 out of 74 days, the police fired as many 15,000 tear gas shells, and a total of 10,500 rounds. Out of the total people killed in the riots, about 20 % have been shot dead by the police.

Infact- the encyclopaedia wikipedia reports-based on sound sources-that as many as 200 policemen laid their lives trying to quell the violence during the riots.

Out of the 25,486 accused, the Gujarat police arrested as many as 25,204 people. This clearly shows the efficiency of the Gujarat police. On March 1st and 2nd and afterwards, Muslims too rioted and they too were killed in police firing.

The Gujarat police saved as many as 2,500 Muslims in Sanjeli, a town in North Gujarat, 5,000 Muslims in Bodeli, in Vadodara and about 10,000 Muslims in Viramgam. A total of about 24,000 Muslims were saved in the first three days alone. Police officials themselves suffered injuries in trying to save the Muslims, as reported by the weekly India Today.

See link: http://www.india-today.com/itoday/20020422/states.shtml

 

On February 28, the police shot dead 10 Hindus in Ahmedabad alone. The leading most English daily from South India, and an extremely anti-Hindu newspaper, ‘The Hindu’ reported this on 1st March 2002. On 1st March, the police shot dead 17 people in Ahmedabad alone-as reported by The Hindu dated 2nd March 2002.

 

On 2nd March 2002-police firing resulted in 47 deaths-as reported by The Hindu the next day-i.e. 3rd March 2002.

 

See link: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2002/03/03/stories/2002030303020100.htm

 

The Indian Express dated 3rd March reported that 77 people were killed in Police/Army firing on 2nd March 2002.

The steps taken to control the violence were-

1-The Indian Express dated 28th February 2002 reported that the State Government had deployed the Rapid Action Force in Ahmedabad and other sensitive areas and the Centre sent in CRPF personnel-on February 27 itself even before a single riot had taken place. This was also reported by Mid Day dated 28 February- and also The Times of India.

See link: http://www.mid-day.com/news/2002/feb/21232.htm

This is mentioned in 3rd catagory- 7th paragraph

2- The Hindu reported in its issue dated 28th February 2002 that “Shoot-at-sight” orders had been given in Godhra on February 27 itself. And so did ALL the English dailies that day. Also read the sentence-” the state government has appealed to the people to maintain peace.”

Link: http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2002/02/28/stories/2002022803070100.htm

3-The Hindustan Times reported in its issue dated 28 February 2002 that the entire police force of 70,000 was deployed in Gujarat on 27 February itself-after the shocking massacre in Godhra-in view of apprehensions that riots might break out. This was also reported by British daily The Telegraph the same day.

Link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/1386341/Hindus-massacred-on-blazing-train.html

See second last paragraph of this report.

4-827 preventive arrests were made on the evening of February 27 itself-on Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s orders-on his return to Ahmedabad from Godhra. This was reported by weekly India Today dated 18 March 2002.

5-On February 28 -despite the deployment of the entire police force, the CRPF personnel and the Rapid Action Force-the situation slipped out of control-according to The Hindu dated 1st March 2002.

See link: http://www.hinduonnet.com/2002/03/01/stories/2002030103030100.htm

6-Despite the fact that the situation slipped out of control-the mob sizes were unpreceedented-and the police were overwhelmingly outnumbered-the police did its best. The police fired more than 1,000 rounds on the first day of the riots-i.e. February 28.

Link: Same as Number 5′s link- but this doesnt mention 1000 rounds- which were fired that day- including 600 in Ahmedabad

7-The Hindu reported in its issue dated 1st March 2002-that atleast 10 persons were believed to have been killed in police firing in Ahmedabad alone by evening of February 28. ( Same link as number 5, pragraphs 2 and 9 from the top).

5 Hindus were shot dead outside Ehsan Jafri’s house on Feb 28-according to India Today weekly-dated 18 March 2002.

8-Curfew was clapmed in Godhra on 27 February itself-as reported by The Hindu dated 28 February 2002. Also reported by all English dailies- such as Times of India- dated 28 Feb.

Link: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-2256789,prtpage-1.cms or

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020228/main1.htm

9-An indefinite curfew was clamped in 26 cities and towns in the State, including parts of Ahmedabad, Surat, Baroda, Rajkot, Nadiad, Anand and Kaira on February 28 in addition to the indefinite curfew in force in Godhra since February 27-according to The Hindu dated 1st March 2002- and every English daily the next day and also weeklies- like India Today- which covered events till Feb 28 in its issue dated 11 March 2002.

Link: http://www.hinduonnet.com/2002/03/01/stories/2002030103030100.htm

10- The Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, frantically called the Army units to Ahmedabad on February 28-as reported by the The Hindu dated 1st March 2002.

See link: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2002/03/01/stories/2002030103030100.htm

See 8th paragraph from the top.

11-The Indian Express and The Hindu both reported that Army units started arriving in Ahmedabad on the night of February 28-in their issues the next day-i.e. 1st March 2002. This shows that the Army units reached Ahmedabad so quickly-that the newspapers had the time to report their arrival on February 28 itself itself and publish it on 1st March!

(Same link as number 5- 8th paragraph from the top)

12-The Army staged a flag march in Ahmedabad on 1st March 2002 at 11:30 AM-as reported by weekly India Today in its issue dated 18th March 2002. The Hindu and The Indian Express and all major dailies also reported that the Army staged flag marches in Ahmedabad-and also Vadodara on 1st March 2002.

13-The Army began flag marches in the worst-affected areas of Ahmedabad, Baroda, Rajkot and Godhra cities and the `shoot at sight’ order was extended to all 34 curfew-bound cities and towns in Gujarat on 1st March 2002-as per The Hindu dated 2nd March 2002.

See link: http://www.hinduonnet.com/2002/03/02/stories/2002030203050100.htm

14-The Gujarat police fired a total of around 4,000 rounds in the first three days alone. This-despite the presence of the Army for 2 out of the 3 days. The police also arrested more than 4,000 people in the first 3 days alone- majority of whom are Hindus. As on 6 May 2002- 35,000 people had been arrested for rioting by the police- the highest ever in Gujarat- not even in 1969 and 1985 were so many arrested. On 28 April 2002- The Times of India reported that 9954 Hindus and 4035 Muslims were arrested by police as substantive arrests and 17947 Hindus and 3616 Muslims were arrested as a preventive measure.  This gives a total of 27,901 Hindus and 7651 Muslims arrested as on 28 April 2002- a total of 35,552 arrests- the highest ever in Gujarat.

See link: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/More-fall-prey-to-police-firings-in-Gujarat/articleshow/8283550.cms

15-The Gujarat police shot dead 98 people in the first three days-majority of whom are Hindus.

16-The Hindu reported in its issue dated 4th March 2002-that only 2 deaths were reported on 3rd March in the entire state-and the violence has ended on 3rd March 2002. Thus-the Gujarat government managed to control the situation in 3 days-even after the shocking massacre in Godhra-while it took previous Congress governments 6 months to stop the riots in 1969 and 1985-even without any cause as Godhra.

A must read article on the role of the Gujarat Government in controlling violence is:

http://www.gujaratriots.com/29/role-of-the-government-in-controlling-violence/

 http://www.gujaratriots.com/25/myth-4-the-gujarat-police-turned-a-blind-eye-to-the-rioting/

Gujarat Riots: The True Story - The Truth of the 2002 riots - Myths of Gujarat Riots - 3

Myth 3: Whole of Gujarat was burning

Fact: Out of the state’s 18,600 villages, 240 municipal towns, and 25 district headquarters, only 60 places saw riots. If one includes the two big cities of Ahmedabad and Vadodara, by the wildest stretch of imagination, only 2 % of the state can be assumed to have been burning. Only 40 out of the state’s 18,600 villages saw riots. Had the state government been involved in the riots-or wanted to encourage the riots-it could have created riots in 10,000 out of Gujarat’s 18,600 villages. In the past curfew has been placed in 300 villages at the same time. As compared to that-absolutely nothing happened in 2002.

Also- only 12 out of 25 districts of Gujarat saw any violence. Remaining 13 were completely untouched by riots. So- less than half of the districts saw the riots- and most areas of the districts which saw riots were peaceful.

Saurashtra and Kutch account for one-third of Gujarat. Riots did not even touch these parts, either in cities or in villages even in the first three days. These places account for 58 out of Gujarat’s 182 Assembly seats. After the first three days riots took place only in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and some places near Godhra in Panchmahal district. That is to say-after 2nd March 2002 riots had stopped in almost the whole of Gujarat. The real riots happened only in the first 3 days-and the violence progressively reduced in these 3 days. After the first three days-riots were limited to cities only-by and large. But in Saurashtra and Kutch-no riots took place even in the first three days-even in cities. And villages of Saurashtra and Kutch were completely untouched by the riots.

Even outside Saurashtra and Kutch, riots stopped completely in North and South Gujarat after 3 days-with not even a single killing in either of the two parts. Only in some parts of Central Gujarat did the riots occur after 3 days-and only in Ahmedabad, Vadodara and some parts near Godhra.

But the media lied at that time and has also lied ever since that the whole of Gujarat was burning. Around 6 December 2002, Narendra Modi was invited on Star News- NDTV’s programme ‘Hotline’. In that programme, the anchor Pankaj Pachouri asked Narendra Modi this question. He said, “Your party always gains because of the riots. But no riots took place in Saurashtra and Kutch, so you are all set to lose there. How will you respond to this?” To that question, Narendra Modi replied,

“When 2 % of Gujarat was burning, you were saying that the whole of Gujarat is burning. Now you are saying that no riots took place in Saurashtra and Kutch. So first you apologize for lying that the entire state was burning when only 2 % of the state was burning.”

These malicious lies of the media were exposed twice.  Once during the time of the riots in Gujarat in March-April 2002. And second, during the Gujarat Assembly elections of December 2002. After the BJP’s huge victory in Gujarat in December 2002, the media again ignored these facts and lied that the whole of Gujarat was burning. The BJP is too passive to ever remind the media of its own lies and its own true reporting. It has never bothered to expose the truth of Gujarat, and attack the media for lying that the whole of Gujarat, including Saurashtra and Kutch were also burning.

Source : http://www.gujaratriots.com/26/myth-3-whole-of-gujarat-was-burning/

Gujarat Riots: The True Story - The Truth of the 2002 riots - Myths of Gujarat Riots - 2

Myth 2: Muslims were ‘butchered’ in Gujarat

Fact: Undoubtedly, Muslims were killed in one-sided attacks in many places in the state- like in Naroda Patiya, Gulbarg Society, Naroda Gram, Sadarpar and other places- but by and large- the riots were not one-sided- and Muslims were hardly the cattle hiding from the slaughter house. As we have seen in a couple of earlier chapters, Muslims were equally on the offensive, at least after the first three days. Muslims killed Hindus brutally in Himmatnagar, Danilimda, and Sindhi Market and other areas of Ahmedabad-as reported by weekly India Today.

To read the full story of India Today-

http://archives.digitaltoday.in/indiatoday/20020415/states.html

See paragraphs 8,9,10,11 and 15 of this story in India Today

The Hindu reported that as early as 1^st March 2002 itself, Muslims started violence in Ahmedabad. (See The Hindu’s report on this subject in its issue dated 2^nd March 2002).

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2002/03/02/stories/2002030203050100.htm

See last line of 9th paragraph from the top.

Reports of The Hindu on this subject throughout the months of March and April 2002 make it clear that Muslims were on the offensive, called the shots in many areas, drove out Hindus from their houses, started the riots in many cases. India Today’s report on this subject in its issue dated 15 April 2002 also points out this same thing.

Around 40,000 Hindus were forced to take shelter in refugee camps. The Dalits suffered almost as much as the Muslims in the riots, only at the hands of the Muslims. On 23 March 2002, 50 Hindu shops were burnt in Ahmedabad’s Revdi Bazaar that caused a loss of 15 crore rupees.

See link:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Ahmedabad/Rioters-torch-50-shops-at-Revdi-Bazaar/articleshow/4609603.cms

The Muslims attacked the Hindus on 1^st and 2^nd March 2002 as well. They are on record starting as many as 157 riots in Gujarat after 3^rd March 2002. They did not allow the police and the Army to search for criminals in their areas. They pelted the police and even the Army with bullets and stones, when they arrived to conduct search operations in Muslim areas. The Muslim women formed human chains and cut off power at night so that the criminals could flee with weapons from the Army.

Link: http://www.indiatoday.com/itoday/20020415/states.shtml – Paragraph 15 from top

Three judgments of different courts in Gujarat have sentenced some Muslims for rioting in Ahmedabad and Vadodara, post Godhra. On one occasion, 7 Muslims and on another occasion, 9 Muslims were convicted and punished for rioting and killing after Godhra. This will be seen in detail later.

The conviction of Muslims proves that Muslims were equally on the offensive-and not the cattle hiding from the slaughter house that the media makes them out to be.

To see a link for the conviction of 9 Muslims in Ahmedabad- on 28 March 2006- click here

http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=65065

7 Muslims were convicted on 18 March 2006-

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=174094

4 Muslims convicted on 18 May 2006-

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/postgodhra-riots-dna-test-nails-4-killers/4719/

A must see article on the role of the Gujarat Government in controlling violence is this:

http://www.gujaratriots.com/29/role-of-the-government-in-controlling-violence/

Source : http://www.gujaratriots.com/27/myth-2-muslims-were-%E2%80%98butchered%E2%80%99-in-gujarat/

Gujarat Riots: The True Story - The Truth of the 2002 riots - Myths of Gujarat Riots - 1

 

Myth 1: 2,000 Muslims were killed in the Gujarat riots

 Fact: As per figures given by the Union Minister of State for Home Shriprakash Jaiswal, who belongs to the Congress Party, in Parliament on 11 May 2005, 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus were killed in the riots, 2548 people were injured and 223 people were missing. The report placed the number of riot-affected widows at 919 and the number of children orphaned at 606. The UPA government gives these figures, and hence they themselves may be inflated.

http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=46538 or

http://news.indiainfo.com/2005/05/11/1105godhra-rs.html

Even Indian Muslims’ English newspaper Milli Gazette also reported this

http://www.milligazette.com/Archives/2005/01-15June05-Print-Edition/011506200511.htm

BBC too reported the same.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4536199.stm

The editorials of the national English dailies, and the articles published from the freelancers on the newspapers’ editorial pages are nothing but a pack of lies, akin the autobiography of former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf, “In the Line of Fire”. Newspapers like The Times of India, The Hindustan Times, The Indian Express, etc. continue to publish articles saying, “Win in Assembly elections of December 2002 does not whitewash Narendra Modi’s sins of the Gujarat pogrom of 2002 when 2000 innocent Muslims were butchered” or “The Gujarat pogrom of killing thousands of Muslims did not help the BJP in the long term” etc. etc.

All these numbers again came into the picture when Narendra Modi was denied a US diplomatic visa in March 2005 by the USA and his earlier tourist visa, issued in 1998 was revoked just one day before his scheduled visit to the USA. Why the USA took as many as three years after the Gujarat riots to revoke Modi’s earlier visa is not known.

But these numbers are nothing but a pack of lies. The number of Muslims killed in the post-Godhra riots is inflated and exaggerated to unimaginable levels. Let us see the interview given by the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to Aaj Tak’s Prabhu Chawla, excerpts of which were published in the weekly India Today, dated 4 November 2002

“Q – Your opponents call you ‘Jinnah of the Hindus’.

A- I am hearing this for the first time though I still dont consider you as an enemy.

Q- You are held responsible for the killing of 1,100 innocent people in the riots.

A- In our last interview, you said 900 people. Now you are saying 1,100. Are you adding all the people killed in other states like Maharashtra and Bengal to Gujarat’s account?(Narendra Modi is talking of the Solapur riots of 10 and 11 October 2002 in Maharashtra and other petty riots which occured long after Godhra and had nothing to do with Godhra and post-Godhra).

Q- So what is the correct toll?

A- There would have no riots in Gujarat if there had been no Godhra…

Q- Do you accept that you failed to provide security to the people of the state?

A- 98% of Gujarat would not have had peace if we had failed to fulfill our duties. We managed to control the riots in 72 hours…

Q- Why don’t you accept that Gujarat is being defamed because of Narendra Modi?

A- If that is true, give the people of Gujarat a chance to pronounce their verdict through elections.”

As we see, the number of people killed in the riots jumped from 900 to 1100 after Narendra Modi’s previous interview, i.e. within 4 months! Now it has jumped from 900 to 2,000. May be after 10 years, at this rate it will jump to 10,000!Already it is being said that, “thousands of Muslims were killed in Gujarat” and “3,000 innocent Muslims were butchered in Gujarat”. 

The death of a single innocent person, whether Hindu or Muslim or belonging to any other religion, is highly unfortunate and cannot be justified. That more than 1,000 people were killed is highly unfortunate and reprehensible. But that cannot a justification to exaggerate and inflate the number of people killed to 2,000 or any higher figure.

What these lies have done to well-meaning people

It is generally believed, even in the Sangh Parivar, that the post-Godhra riots were one-sided. Anil Nair, Organiser correspondent in Mumbai reported in the weekly, dated 20 February 2005 thus:

“On February 10, Pakistan finally gathered the gumption to tell us that it was both—in Ahmedabad over 2,000 Muslims were killed in riots. Such polemics are useless; Pakistan is working on the presumption that the Congress government will find it hard to choose between national honour and secularism, and by all measure it will choose the latter at the cost of the former.”

That is, even a correspondent of RSS weekly Organiser believed the bluff that 2,000 Muslims were killed in the riots. He actually reported- “Over 2,000 Muslims were killed in Ahmedabad”. Smriti Irani, BJP member and TV actress (mind the word actress and not actor), also said that she would sit on a fast until death unless Narendra Modi resigned by 25 December to help the BJP get a secular image once and for all in December 2004.

Most leaders of BJP seem to be blatantly ignorant of the truth of the Gujarat riots. Whenever Congress leaders or anti-BJP journalists raise the issue of the Gujarat riots on TV, the BJP leaders like Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Nitin Gadkari, Gopinath Munde, Prakash Javdekar, Sheshadri Chari, Shahnawaz Hussain, Harsh Vardhan etc hopelessly fail to give befitting reply. They falter in speech. They merely try to point out that the Gujarati electorate gave a huge mandate to the BJP and to Narendra Modi in the December 2002 Gujarat Assembly polls, and mention the Godhra incident as a cause of the riots. None of them ever points out any instance of Muslim aggression, sufferings of the Hindus in the riots, police firing deaths, or the fact that only 60 places out of 18,600 saw riots. This is because of ignorance and blind belief on media lies.

After every terrorist attack, the national English media rationalizes this deed on grounds of the ‘Gujarat riots’. The Gujarat riots were the result of the Godhra massacre.That the English media justified Godhra (as a response to the Ramjanmabhoomi movement in Ayodhya), did not justify or even rationalize the post-Godhra riots (which were the direct result of Godhra) where Muslims were killed and ignored the killings of the Hindus, and it tried to and tries to de-link post-Godhra and Godhra. And it rationalizes and/ or justifies the (so-called) ‘reaction’ to the post-Godhra riots.

The very fact that some terrorists claim that they “plan to avenge the Gujarat riots” clearly shows the devastating consequences of the media lies. The media lies today about Gujarat riots being a ‘pogrom’ and instigates innocent Muslims to terrorism.

In March 2005, the Pakistan cricket team was on a tour to India. It refused to play a Test match in Ahmedabad on ‘political’ grounds, i.e. for ‘the killings of Muslims’ in that city. All this is clearly the result of stark lies concocted by the biased media, which it itself may have started to believe by now. All these lies and myths need to be thoroughly exposed.

That the UPA government, with Congress President and Italian-born and staunchly anti-BJP Sonia Gandhi as the UPA chief, and Communists as outside supporters, gave the figure of 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus killed in the Gujarat riots inside Parliament is something worth pondering about. These figures themselves may well be exaggerated given as they are by a Congressman, who works under Sonia Gandhi.

India Today weekly reported in its issue dated 20 May 2002, when the riots had almost stopped that “Total dead- 972” (For details, see page 122). Out of these 972, India Today included 57 people killed in Godhra. If anyone sees the English newspapers of those days, i.e. between 10 to 21 May 2002, no riots took place in Gujarat in those 10 days at all, and the Army left Gujarat on 21 May. A maximum of 20 more deaths might have happened in Gujarat after that. The death toll in Gujarat riots would thus be 935.

I myself recall reading in Nagpur-based English daily The Hitavada that 936 people were killed in the Gujarat riots after the Army left Ahmedabad on 21 May 2002. The official figures before the missing were declared dead were 952. After missing were declared dead- the toll was revised to 1180.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090301/jsp/nation/story_10608005.jsp

Adding the UPA’s figures of 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus, we have a total of 1044 people killed in the Gujarat riots, a 100 more. Hence, the true figures may well be 698 Muslims and 254 Hindus, a total of 952 people killed- before the missing were declared dead.

But let us, for argument’s sake, assume that the figures given by the UPA government are correct. Does that give anyone the reason to believe that more than 790 Muslims were killed in Gujarat? Why should the English dailies and the 24-hour news channels lie through the skin of their teeth that 2000 Muslims were killed in Gujarat? A total of 223 people are said to be missing. Out of them, how many are Hindus is also not told. The maximum number of people thus killed in Gujarat, assuming that all the missing are dead would thus amount to 1267. There is no scope for anyone in the world, including the human-rights organisations and the US-based religious freedom groups and the TV channels like NDTV and company to report that one more than 1267 people were killed in the Gujarat riots.

 

Despite this, Prafull Bidwai, a self-proclaimed secularist wrote in Nagpur-based English daily, The Hitavada’s Sunday magazine, Insight in July 2006, soon after the Mumbai blasts that killed 187 people in the city, that, “VHP, Bajrang Dal and the BJP butchered 2,000 Muslims in Gujarat”- ignoring Godhra completely. And he was not the only one. NDTV, mouthpiece of a political party, and that too the CPI (M), a Leftist party, reported a thousand times during the Lok Sabha elections of April- May 2004 that, “2000 Muslims were killed in Gujarat”.

2,000 is the number of Muslims who carried out the massacre and gruesome roasting alive of 59 Hindus-including 25 women and 15 children in Godhra. It is not the number of Muslims who were killed in the subsequent riots. There is no justification for violence-and of even a single death-be it in Godhra or after Godhra. But why lie through the skin of your teeth that 2000 Muslims were killed when only 790 were killed? Who gains by these lies? And it is everybody’s duty to correct the figure. The point is- what should be reported is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

The mentality of self-proclaimed secularists is to keep the number of Muslims who killed Hindus in Godhra as low as possible- and the number of Hindus killed in that train as low as possible. Alok Tiwari- a self-styled secularist editor of The Hitavada wrote- “Just because 56 Hindus were killed in Godhra doesn’t give them the license to kill Muslims in Gujarat…” Burkha Dutt of NDTV tried to keep the number of Hindus as low as possible in 2002- in one her talk shows she said- “The karsewaks killed in Godhra- what’s the number 53 or 57…”  The correct number is 59-the numbers given by self-proclaimed secularists reveals their attitude- and that attitude is- to keep the numbers of Hindus killed in Godhra as low as possible.

And many writers have simply written- a mob killed karsewaks in Godhra- instead of saying openly- 2000 Muslims killed karsewaks in Godhra. Kuldip Nayar- in one his columns in 2002 said- “500 Muslims attacked the train in Godhra”. Others said- 1,000- some said 1,500. The actual number is 2,000 as mentioned by Vir Sanghvi in The Hindustan Times on 28 February 2002- and in the report of the Justice Tewatia Committee. The number is all that important. But what it shows is the mentality- of trying to reduce Islam’s guilt and Hindus’ suffering as much as possible.

And it is this mentality which is responsible for them exaggerating the number of Muslims killed in the riots to as much as possible. When the total number of people killed in the riots- Hindu as well as Muslim- is 1180-they lie that 2,000 Muslims were killed in the riots-like Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf did in the United Nations in September 2002.  Teesta Setalvad increased this number to 2,500 Muslims (as if not a single Hindu was killed) in one of her articles titled “What ails Gujarat” published in CPI(M) party weekly Peoples Democracy in 2006. And Tehelka reported in 2007- after its sting operation that 2,500 Muslims were killed in the first 3 days! This would imply that many more were killed in the next days of riots!!!

This reporting also exposes the reality of self-styled secularists- Hindu suffering should be ignored and kept as minimum as possible- Islam’s guilt should be reduced as much as possible- while  Muslims’ suffering should be increased as much as possible.

A must read article is on the role of the Gujarat Government in controlling violence in the riots:

 http://www.gujaratriots.com/7/myth-1-2000-muslims-were-killed-in-the-gujarat-riots/

The Nexus -- Pawar's Time Of Reckoning -- Secret papers allege that the Maharashtra politician had links with hawala agents close to Dawood

The Nexus
 

Pawar's Time Of Reckoning

Secret papers allege that the Maharashtra politician had links with hawala agents close to Dawood

Rajesh Joshi
After the 1993 Bombay blasts, the Home Ministry collected considerable information on the links between Congress politicians and the underworld. The details of this investigation were submitted to the Vohra Committee. Excerpts:
Underworld Operator Political/Bureaucratic Patronage

Maharashtra

• Dawood Ibrahim : Sharad Pawar, Salim Zakaria, Javed Khan (both ex-ministers close to Pawar)
• Mohammed Dosa : Madan Baffna (ex-minister)
• P.

  The MHA report lists, among others, godman Chandraswami and notorious criminal Babloo Srivastava as close associates of Dawood.

  Raj Koli : Arun Mehta (former home minister)
• Haji Ahmed : D.V. Patil, Javed
• Khan Khan Brothers : Arun Mehta, Salim Zakaria (ex-ministers)
• Tiger Memon: Javed Khan

Gujarat

• Abdul Latif : Chimanbhai Patel (ex-chief minister)
• Rati Lal Deva Navik : Cadir Peerjada ( PCC vice-president),
• Izzu Sheikh, Haji : Ahmed Patel, AICC general secretary
• Hassana Dada : C.D. Patel (home minister), Thakor Nair (supply minister).
• Amar Subhania : Chimanbhai Patel
• Ram Bhai Gadwai : Ashok Lal (" s/o Babu Lal, minister of sports") Santosheben Jadeja, MLA: "Earlier of Janata Dal. Joined Congress. Known as mafia queen."

Just last year they had called it a damp squib. Now it looks like another political tinderbox, awaiting ignition. In mid-1995, when the N.N. Vohra Committee report on the criminal-politician nexus was tabled in Parliament, the Opposition was united in heaping scorn on it. The perception was that the 12-page report was incomplete and politically sensitive information had been suppressed. Months later, after the episode had receded from public memory, there is evidence to confirm that suspicion. Some documents submitted to the committee by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and procured by Outlook reveal shocking charges of the murky link between prominent politicians and the underworld.

The MHA report alleges that there was a definite nexus between underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's associates and former Maharashtra chief minister Sharad Pawar. According to the report, Mool Chand Shah alias Choksi—a hawala racketeer also involved in the Jain case and "close to Dawood Ibrahim and gang"—had, on various occasions between December 1979 and October 1992,transferred or paid Rs 72 crore to Pawar. Many other Congress leaders have also been listed as recipients of money from Shah.
The report states that "between December 1979 and February 1980, MoolChand Choksi paid Rs 7 crore to Sharad Pawar, which was received from an undisclosed source in the West". It also confirms that Choksi had "developed closeness" with Dawood and his gang way back in 1980. Shah was also responsible for transferring money for "various important people of Bombay to the Middle-East and other countries for safe caching".

Choksi is said to have paid another instalment of Rs 5 crore around May 1991 to Pawar. According to the report, "the amount was reportedly transferred from a Middle-Eastern country through the hawala channel. Reportedly, the above amounts were paid for election purposes". Shah not only provided Pawar with funds for elections but was also used by the latter to siphon money abroad. Says the report: "On behalf of the chief minister of Maharashtra, Pappu Kalyani (Kalani) had handed over Rs 20 crore to Cho-ksi in September 1990 for transferring abroad. Another amount of Rs 50 crore was transferred by Choksi on behalf of the chief minister." The deal was executed through an advocate.

The report says that Choksi had been in constant touch with Pawar till a few months before the Bombay blasts. A major transaction of Rs 10 crore allegedly took place in October 1992. In this transaction, say the documents, "Choksi delivered an amount of Rs 10 crore to the nephew of Sharad Pawar. The amount had reportedly come from the Middle-East." Shah was arrested under TADA on May 4, 1993, for funding Tiger Memon with Rs 2.5 crore for the blasts.

During the interrogation of Usman Ghani, an accused in the Bombay blasts case, it was revealed that he had established contacts with the glitterati of Bombay for siphoning their black money through the hawala conduit to foreign accounts. The report names "a very top politician of Bombay" apart from a few film stars. "Some of the important personalities whose money he (Ghani) transacted are Dilip Kumar, Feroz Khan and one Banerjee, an advocate of Bombay, who is reported to be very close to a very top politician of Bombay."

Hawala operators like Choksi mentioned in the MHA report are also involved in the new multi-crore Jain hawala scandal. Apart from Shah, the name of a Delhi-based hawala dealer, Shambhu Dayal Sharma alias Guptaji, figures in the report. It was Sharma's arrest in 1991 and his subsequent interrogation which led the CBI to raid J.K. Jain's residence, where it stumbled across the now-famous diaries. Sharma had told the CBI that he used to work for J.K Jain. The MHA reports say that Sharma had been funnelling money to politicians for over a decade.

Sharma's name first came to the notice of the authorities in May 1985 when he allegedly acted as a conduit for Choksi in a Rs 3-crore payoff to Arun Nehru, the then internal security minister.

Inquiries made by the Government agencies, on which the MHA report is based, reveals that Mool Chand Shah lived in 604, Rajendra Vihar, Guildern Lane, Lamington Road in Bombay. The hawala kingpin hails from Dhinmal village in Jalore district, Rajasthan. His father migrated to Bombay and tried his hand at the textile business. Later, the Shahs switched to the diamond trade.

Choksi's underworld activities aroused enough curiosity to prompt investigations by various agencies. But he managed to skip the dragnet of the law, thanks to his political clout. In March 1989, a detention order—No. SPL 3(A)PSA 0189/107 under COFEPOSA was issued against him. But this order was "revoked by the Government of Maharashtra" on May 10, 1990, "without assigning any reason".
The MHA report points out that "the revocation was done at the behest of the Home Minister of the Ruling Party (sic)," Arun Mehta, a close Pawar confidant. "For this action, Arun Mehta and other politicians were paid Rs 2 crore by Choksi," it notes.

The Enforcement Directorate and the Marine and Preventive Wing of the Customs, Bombay, also registered cases against Choksi in 1989 and 1990 respectively. He was arrested on November 30, 1990, in connection with one of the cases but was immediately released on bail. A development which the report clearly ascribes to his political connections. "Every time he procured his bail either on technical grounds through his lawyers or through money power."

It is also admitted that Choksi could never be interrogated at length because of the fact that he had "sympathisers" at the Centre and in the state government. He was held again in April 1991 following Sharma's arrest in connection with "an international conspiracy of funding terrorist organisations in Kashmir". Even when he was being interrogated by the Bombay police, Choksi used to claim that he could not be kept under detention for long because of his "high political connection". The report says: "He was dropping the name of Chandra Shekhar, former Prime Minister, in this connection."

A part of Dawood's operations were based in Gujarat, particularly along the coast. The MHA report also lists politi-cians from the state who had links with the underworld. Among those named is the then chief minister, late Chimanbhai Patel, and AICC General Secretary Ahmed Patel ( see box ).

The report, had it been tabled in Parliament along with the much-maligned Vohra panel report, would have fulfilled the objective set before it when it was constituted on July 9, 1993. After the Bombay blasts, when the then internal security minister Rajesh Pilot ordered that the committee be set up, it was asked "to take stock of all available information about the activities of crime syndicate/mafia organisations which had developed links with and were being protected by Government functionaries and political personalities."
The Vohra Committee had the information but no one in the Congress wanted it to see the light of day.

The procrastinations that followed resulted in the 12 pages of generalities that has now come into the open and nothing specific about the vicious nexus in operation in three countries.

http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?200790

Roman Catholic priests found guilty of sexual abuse in Belgium

Source: News Bharati

Brussels, November 23: Belgium's federal prosecutors have passed on the names of some 100 suspected paedophile Catholic priests to local prosecution departments for possible action. The list of names stems from Operation Chalice, the judicial inquiry into sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy.

The Flemish-language daily Het Laatste Niuews, quoting judicial sources, said the main intention was to keep an eye on the suspects to ensure they do not offend again.

The report said the list was drawn up on the basis of information gathered in controversial police raids on the headquarters of the Mechelen-Brussels diocese in June last year. Other data came from evidence gathered by a ‘Special Church Commission on Paedophilia’ and the complaints of abuse victims, it said.

It is reported that some local prosecutors had warned suspect clerics that they were aware of the allegations against them.

After similar scandals in the United States, Ireland and Germany, the country was rocked in April 2010 with revelations that the bishop of Bruges, Roger Vangheluwe, had abused a nephew for 13 years.

Vangheluwe's subsequent decision to quit opened a floodgate of allegations, with one report a year ago revealing almost 500 cases of abuse in Catholic institutions since the 1950s, including 13 known suicides by victims.

In September some 70 alleged victims filed joint legal action against the Belgian Church and the Holy See, the first such class action suit in Belgium and the first such suit involving the Vatican in Europe.

మేము భారత్‌లోనే ఉంటాం! - ఢిల్లీలో మాకు వసతి కల్పించండి కేంద్రానికి 140 మంది పాక్ హిందువుల మొర

November 24th, 2011

న్యూఢిల్లీ, నవంబర్ 23: తమ దేశంలో వివక్షకు గురవుతూనే బతకాల్సి వస్తుందన్న భయంతో సుమారు 140 మంది పాకిస్తానీ హిందువులు ఢిల్లీని తమ నివాసంగా చేసుకుని ఇక్కడే ఉండిపోవాలనుకుంటున్నారు. సింధ్ రాష్ట్రానికి చెందిన వీరంతా టూరిస్టు వీసాపై భారత్ వచ్చారు. ఆ వీసా గడువు ఇప్పటికే ముగిసిపోయింది కూడా.

అయితే వీళ్లంతా తమ జన్మస్థలంలో బతుకు దుర్భరంగా ఉంటుందన్న భయంతో మళ్లీ అక్కడికి తిరిగి వెళ్లాలనుకోవడం లేదు. రెండు నెలల క్రితమే తమ వీసా గడువు ముగిసిపోవడంతో ఏం చేయాలో దిక్కు తోచని స్థితిలో ఉన్న సింధ్ రాష్ట్రంలోని మతియారీ జిల్లా గ్రామానికి చెందిన ఈ 27 కుటుంబాలు భారత్‌లో అయితే తామంతా సురక్షితంగా ఉంటామని భావిస్తున్నారు.

ప్రస్తుతం వీళ్లంతా ఉత్తర ఢిల్లీలోని మజ్నూకా తిల్లా ప్రాంతంలో ఓ స్వచ్ఛంద సంస్థ ఏర్పాటు చేసిన టెంట్లలో ఉంటున్నారు. తమ వీసాలను పొడిగించి నగరంలో తమకు తగిన వసతి సదుపాయం కల్పించాలని వీరంతా ముక్తకంఠంతో ప్రభుత్వానికి విజ్ఞప్తి చేస్తున్నారు. ఎన్నో ఏళ్ల పాటు ఎదురు చూసిన తర్వాత టూరిస్టు వీసా సంపాదించిన వీరంతా సెప్టెంబర్ 2న కాలి నడకన సరిహద్దులను దాటి రెండు రోజుల తర్వాత ఢిల్లీ చేరుకున్నారు. తాము ఈ విషయమై ప్రధాని మన్మోహన్ సింగ్‌కు, కాణగ్రెస్ అధ్యక్షురాలు సోనియా గాంధీకి లేఖ రాసామని, అయితే ఇంతవరకు ఎలాంటి సమాధానం రాలేదని ఒక స్వచ్ఛంద సంస్థలో పని చేస్తున్న గంగారామ్ చెప్పారు. పాకిస్తాన్‌నుంచి భారత్ చేరుకునే దాకా తన కథనంతా వివరించిన ఇరవై ఏళ్ల జమున కనీసం తన పిల్లలయినా ప్రశాంత వాతావరణంలో మెరుగయిన జీవితాన్ని, విద్యను పొందుతారన్న ఆశతో ఉన్నట్లు చెప్పింది.

‘పాకిస్తాన్‌లో మత స్వేచ్ఛ లేదు. హిందువులను చదువుకోవడానికి అనుమతించరు. మాపై ఎప్పుడూ దాడులు జరుగుతూ ఉంటాయి. భారత దేశానికి వచ్చి ఇక్కడే స్తిరపడిపోవాలనే ఉద్దేశంతో వీసా కోసం ఎదురు చూస్తున్నాం. ఏది ఏమయినా మేము తిరిగి వెళ్లం’ అని కుటుంబ సభ్యులు, స్నేహితులు చుట్టుముట్టి ఉండగా, ఆరుబయటే రొట్టెలు చేస్తున్న జమున చెప్పింది. డేరా బాబా ధున్నీదాస్ ఈ 27 కుటుంబాలకు వేర్వేరుగా టెంట్లు, బ్లాంకెట్లు, ఆహార పదార్థాలు, ఇతర సరకులు సరఫరా చేస్తూ ఉంది. ఈ కుటుంబాల్లో యువకులే కాకుండా వృద్ధులు, పిల్లలు కూడా ఉన్నారు. కొంతమంది యువకులు దగ్గర్లో ఉన్న దుకాణాల్లో పనులు చేయడం కూడా ప్రారంభించారు. ‘్భరతీయులు తమకు సాయం చేస్తారు’ అన్న ఏకైక ప్రార్థనతో తామంతా కొంపా గోడు, పశువులు అన్నీ వదిలిపెట్టి కట్టుబట్టలతో ఇక్కడికి వచ్చామని జమున చెప్పింది.

తామెందుకు పాకిస్తాన్ వదిలి పారిపోయి వచ్చామో చందెర్మా అనే 40 ఏళ్ల మహిళ వివరించింది.‘ పిల్లలు బడికి వెళితే వేరుగా కూర్చోబెడుతున్నారు. వాళ్లకు కనీసం మంచినీళ్లు కూడా ఇవ్వడం లేదు. మేము అనునిత్యం భయంతో కూడిన వాతావరణంలో జీవించాలనుకోవడం లేదు. అందుకే మేము టూరిస్టు వీసాపై ఇక్కడికి వచ్చాం’ అని ఆమె చెప్పింది. స్థానికులు తమ ఖర్చులను భరిస్తున్నారని ఆమె చెప్తూ, తమ వీసాలను పొడిగించి తమ పిల్లలు చదువులు కొనసాగించడానికి వీలుగా తమకు తలదాచుకోవడానికి గూడును ఏర్పాటు చేయాలని మాత్రమే తాము ప్రభుత్వాన్ని కోరుకుంటున్నామని ఆమె చెప్పింది. 13 ఏళ్ల ఆర్తీ కథ ఎవరినైనా కదిలించకమానదు. ఆ అమ్మాయి ఎప్పుడూ బడికి వెళ్లి చదువుకోలేదు కానీ తన తాత, నాన్నమ్మ దగ్గరనుంచి హిందూ మంత్రాలను నేర్చుకుంది. ఓ పక్క కుటుంబానికంతటికీ వంట చేస్తూనే మరో పక్క తాను నేర్చుకున్న మంత్రాలను క్యాంప్‌లోని చిన్నారులకు నేర్పిస్తోంది. ‘నేను నేర్చుకున్న దాన్ని నా స్నేహితులకు నేర్పించడం ద్వారా నా ఒత్తిడిని మరిచిపోతున్నాను’ అని ముక్కుపచ్చలారని ఆ చిన్నారి చెప్తూ ఉంటే ఎవరికయినా కళ్లు చెమర్చకమానవు. కాగా, భారత దేశంలో వేలాది మంది బంగ్లాదేశీయులు, నేపాలీలు, టిబెటన్లు ఉన్నప్పుడు హిందువులైన తాము ఇక్కడ ఎందుకు ఉండకూడదని ఆమె సోదరుడు ప్రశ్నిస్తూ, తాము ఇక్కడే తమ జీవితాలను కొనసాగించడానికి అవసరమైన ఏర్పాట్లను ప్రభుత్వం చేయాలని అన్నాడు.
 http://www.andhrabhoomi.net/national/m-881

Discussion on AFSPA targeted at diverting attention : Gulam Ali

Source: News Bharati

Gulam Ali ‘Engineer’ from Jammu, is currently traveling across the country to establish dialogue with the Muslim population of the country regarding the Jammu & Kashmir’s problems. An engineer by qualification, he is a social worker by profession & a well known political activist in the state of Jammu & Kashmir. Gulam Ali spoke exclusively with News Bharati while in Mumbai recently. News Bharati will carry the interview in parts in next few days with a two days interval, so that it will enable our readers & patrons to study & understand the situation in the valley of Kashmir & the state of Jammu & Kashmir. We hope, the interview is enough to highlight the complexities of the situation in Jammu & Kashmir, although we prefer to keep few things ‘off record’ to ensure that his security not harmed.

Mumbai, November 18 : "Discussion on AFSPA is targeted at diverting attention from the issue of giving powers to elected Panchayats" reveals Gulam Ali ‘Engineer’, who is currently traveling across the country to establish dialogue with the Muslim population of the country regarding the Jammu & Kashmir’s problems. He was talking exclusively with News Bharati while in Mumbai recently.

Gulam Ali hails from Jammu. An engineer by qualification, he is a social worker by profession & a well known political activist in the state of Jammu & Kashmir. While working with a state level political party, he realized a few years ago where the politics in the state of Jammu & Kashmir is heading. Annoyed with the policies of the entire ruling clan – political & administrative – he left his party to join the BJP. Known in Jammu as a social worker who fights for the ‘common man’ of the state, he readily invited a strong backlash from what he calls a corrupt politico-admin nexus, when he joined the BJP.

Currently on nationwide tour on behalf of Muslim Rashtriya Manch (मुस्लिम राष्ट्रीय मंच), to establish a dialogue with the different sections of the Muslim population of the society, he was in Mumbai recently. He goes to masjids, majaars & madarasas to pray for the ‘strong integration of the Jammu & Kashmir with the rest of country’. He establishes dialogue with the youth & intellectuals, mainly belonging to the muslim population, thru various means – like discussions, seminars, lectures etc. When News Bharati learned about his efforts, we decided to talk to him for our readers.

The following are the excerpts of the interesting interview.

What do you think of the current controversy over AFSPA ? Is there any merit in the case to remove AFSPA?

I personally think that the issue of AFSPA is purely technical issue. There is a system already in place to monitor the conduct of the Army. Various village leaders & local senior citizens in various parts of the state are involved in the system to monitor the army conduct. Army moves & acts with the liaison & permissions from these citizens. Further there is Army's own system of control, which includes measures like court martial. If any cases of high handedness are there, those are purely exceptions, extreme exceptions, like one or two percent. People of the state of Jammu & Kashmir are largely satisfied with the conduct of the Army.

I personally think that the issue is being raked up to divert the attention n of the people & media. Recently there were Panchayat elections in the state, which witnessed high voter turn-out. In the first place, the higher participation of the people in the democratic process has irritated the corrupt establishment in the state. Secondly, there is time now to empower the Panchayats as they were promised. But the more empowered Panchayats would mean a less earning for corrupt establishment in the state, which includes administration, police & politicians from a particular class & creed, who are deeply involved in deep rooted corruption which often goes unnoticed or ignored due to ‘sensetive’ situation in the state. The corrupt people who would be affected by the empowerment of the Panchayats in the state are the same who are raking up the issue of the AFSPA in liaison with the seperatrists. The national media should understand this fact and attract the attention of the intellectuals.

And what about the death of an activist of the National Conference at the official residence of the CM? The matter is being hushed up to protect the people who hold power. What was the role of the AFSPA in this death?

The subject of the implementation of AFSPA is purely a technical issue & should be left with the experts on the subject like intelligence agencies & security apparatus. It should not be politicized even if the Chief Minister is the chairman of the unified command.

From my point of view it is a issue, which is not related with the common people of the state.

 http://en.newsbharati.com//Encyc/2011/11/19/The-National-Focus.aspx?NB=&lang=1&m1=&m2=&p1=&p2=&p3=&p4=&NewsMode=int

Pak Hindus want to settle down in India

Source: PTI

New Delhi, November 23: After 64 years of independence, fear of being targeted in their own country has led a 140 Pakistani Hindus to come and remain in India and seek shelter.

The group of 140 visiting Pakistani Hindus from Sindh province came to India on a tourist visa in September. Their visa has expired but they do not want to return to their birthplace.

These 27 families are from a small village in Matiari district near Hyderabad (Pakistan). They fear that they will succumb to communal violence in Pakistan.They feel they will be secure and their children will get peaceful life in India.

These 140 people are currently living in camp in Majnu Ka Tilla in north Delhi. One organization is taking care of them. They have appealed to Indian Government to extend visas and give them proper accommodation in the city.

Pak Hindus had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi regarding their venerable living conditions in Pakistan and sought assistance from Indian Government, but not yet got any reply from ministry.

Hindus are living in pathetic condition in Pakistan. Being a minority they often face communal violence. The orthodox majority groups compel them for religion conversion and those who oppose quelled by rigid anti Hindu elements. Pak Hindus are also denied education, livelihood and religious celebration.  

20-year-old Jamuna currently living in camp narrated her leaving condition in Pakistan with a glimmer of hope that at least her children would be able to get better life and education in a peaceful environment.

Expressed her grief jamuna said, "There is no religious freedom in Pakistan. We (Hindus) were never allowed to study. We have always been targeted. We were waiting for the Indian visa so that we can come here and settle in Hindustan. We just don't want to go back." 

http://en.newsbharati.com//Encyc/2011/11/23/Pak-Hindus-want-to-settle-down-in-India.aspx?NB=&lang=1&m1=&m2=&p1=&p2=&p3=&p4=&NewsMode=int

LeT website called Ishrat a martyr: GK Pillai

Source: News Agencies

New  Delhi, November 22: Merely a day after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) told the Gujarat High Court that the Ishrat Jahan encounter was not genuine, former central Home Secretary GK Pillai has made it clear that the Lashkar-e-Toiba website had called her a martyr and the Intelligence Bureau had given inputs against Ishrat.

Pillai while talking to CNN-IBN TV News channel said that from the evidence available, it was clear that Ishrat and others were involved in suspicious activities. "Ishrat used to live with different men in different hotels, which definitely was suspicious. The Intelligence Bureau had given inputs against Ishrat."

He recalled that the Lashkar-e-Toiba website had called her a martyr and later removed it.

He also made it clear that the SIT report was not a comment on whether Ishrat was a terrorist or not. "The SIT only said that from the evidence available, it was found out that the encounter was fake, but there was no word on whether Ishrat and other were alleged terrorists or not," Pillai said.

SIT told to Gujarat High Court on Monday that the Ishrat Jahan encounter was not genuine. After the SIT filed its report, the High Court ordered that a complaint under Indian Penal Code Section 302 (murder) has to be filed against those involved in the fake encounter.

The SIT, headed by IPS officer RR Verma and including two other seniors police officers Mohan Jha and Satish Verma, said that Ishrat along with Javed Sheikh alias Pranesh Pillai, Amjad Ali Rana and Zeeshan Johar were killed prior to the date of encounter on June 15, 2004. All three SIT officers came to an unanimous conclusion that the encounter was fake.

The arguments in the case will continue over the issue of who will file an FIR and investigate the case.Those accused in the case include then Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) PP Pande, suspended Deputy Inspector General DG Vanzara, then Assistant Commissioner of Police GL Singhal and Assistant Commissioner of Police NK Amin - all IPS officers.

There were total of 21 policemen, including the IPS officers, involved in the fake encounter.

http://en.newsbharati.com//Encyc/2011/11/22/LeT-website-called-Ishrat-a-martyr--GK-Pillai.aspx?NB=&lang=1&m1=&m2=&p1=&p2=&p3=&p4=&NewsMode=int

Ishrat Jahan case turn around : What Ishara to whom ?

Author: Rajesh Prabhu-Salgaonkar

 Intellectuals & Media need to do away with the ‘Kaangresi’ mindset

We all know by now that the SIT has turned around &  said that the death of Ishrat Jahan & her other inmates in the car, was a result of a 'fake' encounter.

To weigh the merits of the newly presented evidence by the SIT, on the basis of which it is now claiming that the encounter was fake, is the prerogative of the judiciary. But there are other rather serious questions arising here – some are political ones & some about the media conduct.

An Update : Even the CNN-IBN, a TV channel known from its (pseudo) secular incline, has carried an interview of former central home secretary GK Pillai, in which he clearly states that “LeT called Ishrat a martyr”. Now, what stand this NGO-Media nexus is going to take?

The media in India is always known for it's anti-RSS -BJP stand. But what it is turning to now, should be termed as 'Majority bashing' or 'Hindu Bashing''.  How can we explain otherwise the stands taken by the media's (pseudo) secular clan recently about the happenings in the country & how can we explain the different yardsticks used to 'judge' the different matters around the country.

When it comes to Gujrat, this section of the media always remains at the wrong side of the truth. Why it is so, we wonder. But we should consider following points -

1. Has any central agency who gave information about Ishrat’s involvement with LeT to the state of Gujrat, has retracted from its earlier information?
2. Has it been proved that Ishrat was not a terrorist / LeT operative? Do this same media, who flashed the news few months ago that David Hadley, who is facing trial for terrorism in US had confirmed her involvement in LeT operations during his interrogation, forgot that news story? If so - Why?
3. If a media section believes that the intelligence report about Ishrat was wrong, why any of the intelligence agencies are not being targeted for such type of reports? If the media doubts the intelligence reports, they should show the courage to challenge such reports or agency’s working methods.
4. What is the logic in targeting the state police who were merely acted upon the intelligence reports provided by the central intel agencies, while no one is questioning the working or the integrity of the central agencies, who should be actually held responsible for such deaths.
5. Why only the cases of a particular community killed in the police encounters in Maharashtra & Gujrat are being followed by a large media clan? Why some particular officers are being harped down in the process of proving media’s (pseudo) secular credentials?
6. Why there is no word from the same media & NGOs, about the men killed by the police unethically throughout the country, under various suspicious circumstances at various times ? Is it true that, the men killed so, do not have the so called “Human Rights” only because they belonged to majority community?
7. What is the logic behind the selective application of ‘Human Rights’?
8. Why the cases in Maharashtra, in which hundreds of so called ‘gangsters’ had been eliminated from last many years by the Maharashtra Police, under the name of ‘encounter’ are not being questioned? Why are we seeing a selection of the cases related to a particular community ?
9. Why these so called NGOs following these cases do not see a pattern in the killing of the Mumbai gangsters – the majority of the gangsters killed by the police belong to the rival gangs of Dawood? Why these NGOs do not question the ‘pattern’ in these cases?
10. The number of such ‘fake’ encounter cases are higher in Maharashtra & Uttar Pradesh, even the city of Mumbai sees more encounter deaths than the state of Gujrat. Then why only the state of Gujrat is on the agenda of this NGO- media nexus? What is the logic? What is the real agenda here?
11. The men killed in such encounters are at least ‘criminals’ by police records. Why no NGO is following the cases, in which tens of innocent persons were killed in police firings while taking part in some demonstrations, demanding justice to their grievances, which is a constitutional right in this ‘Democratic’ country? Why no NGO is coming forward to question the merits of the police firings on the peaceful demonstrations by the legitimate citizens of this country, while they are ever enthusiastic about the cases regarding the criminals such as Soharabuddin & Isharat Jahan?

 Any politically alert human can see a ‘PATTERN’ here – that all the cases fought by these champions of the human rights are of terrorists & criminals, that too belonging to a particular community. They ignore the fact that these criminals are a menace to the society & often an internal & external security risk for the country like ours.

The congress is known to slip to the lowest abyss & go to any extent to hold to power & the ‘pseudo-secular’ so-called intellectuals are helping it in this dirty game. There are many reasons to believe that the cases against Narendra Modi Govt. are being followed so rigorously & at jet speed, to help congress nail Narendra Modi. The media is conveniently ignoring the fact that this same Congress had ordered CBI enquiry against ex-Goa CM Manohar Parrikar, thru central Govt. The CBI in hest filed a FIR & a case was filed in High Court’s Goa bench against Parrikar accusing him of the corruption in arrangements of the international film festival - IFFI. Owing to the case, Parrikar missed his chance to become national president of the BJP, party insiders believe. Eventually after few months the CBI retracted & withdrew all the cases against Shri.Parrikar, saying he is ‘clean’. Meanwhile the BJP had selected its new national president. BJP insiders believe that it was always a Congress’s dirty trick to engage opposition leaders in such criminal cases so that their political career hurts & halts. They are trying the same trick on Narendra Modi now. Many from the media know this; many may have played rolls in these dirty tricks – knowingly or un-knowingly, wishfully or otherwise.

The question is - when, we as a society, will start opposing this type of dirty politics? The dirty politics of dividing the society & inciting a fear in a particular community against another community, should be stopped, stopped for the good. Its high time that the Indian intellectuals & the media should do away with the ‘Congress’/ 'Kaangresi' mindset. There are many other realities in this world, we should learn to accept them. This ‘Kaangresi mindset’ is going to harm the nation & the society in the long run, the damage may be irreversible. The Congress has lost its balance of mind & the intellect as a party. We must realize that the tricks being played by the Congrtess party are of the cheap level ‘office politics’ which we see in any commercial corporation. The society is realizing it, but the intellectuals & the media in particular should think differently to be able to see it.

The current situation is bound to bring to the forefront the matters of the deaths of the many top BJP leaders over the years – Dr.Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay, Pramod Mahajan along with the cases of the murders of the BJP’s powerfull workers like Ramdas Nayak, Premkumar Sharma etc. In the cases of Mukharjee & Upadhyay, the Congress ruled central Govt. is directly responsible for their deaths & it is the one who is benifitted by all those deaths.

As per the question of fake encounters, it should be very clear that in the civilized society, there should not be any death at the hands of the police bypassing the judiciary. But at the same time, this NGO-media nexus should  explain, that how by selecting the cases on the basis of a community is going to help in curbing the police's ‘Killing Instinct’.

I fear that this media-NGO nexus which is encouraging the concept of a selective application of the ‘Human Rights’, is pushing the society & the Indian polity towards a non-reversible polarization, the signs of which already started to show. The beloved Bharat Mata (India) is going to loss in the case. So there should be introspection, particularly within the media, to see where we are heading, cause, we still do have some time, which is slipping fast, for the required course corrections.

http://en.newsbharati.com//Encyc/2011/11/21/Ishrat-Jahan-case-turn-around---What-Ishara-to-whom--.aspx?NB=&lang=1&m1=&m2=&p1=&p2=&p3=&p4=&NewsMode=int

Security Challenges - WILL MORE 26/11 HAPPEN? - Brig. Hemant Mahajan

Source: News Bharati

Is Government missing out on real security challenges?

At least 231 of the country’s 608 Districts are currently affected, at differing intensities, by various insurgent and terrorist movements. Terrorism in all Districts of Jammu & Kashmir & the Northeast and Left Wing extremism affecting at least 165 Districts in 14 States, continue to pose serious challenges to the country’s security framework.

Taking into account the dismal security situation, has the central & state government addressed the core issue? Do they have any action plan for security of common man? Is there a common minimum program for national security? There are four dangers to the territorial integrity that bedevil the nation. Naxals control 40% of country. Proxy war in J&K is going on since 1988.

The security forces, primarily the Indian army, have held the state of Jammu and Kashmir physically since independence. Bangladeshization/Islamization of North East is on increase. More than 3.5 crore Bangla Deshi have infiltrated into India. ISI is abetting Terrorism in hinterland & bleeding India by 1000 cuts.

Nearly three years after the unparalleled Mumbai terrorist assaults, India has returned to business as usual. It has shied away from the hard decisions it needed to take, yet it set up a new organization-the National Investigative Agency. What has been its output for last eight months? Mumbai may have become a terrorist example globally, but in India, there is little evidence it has changed its thinking and policy fundamentally. India has suffered more acts of major terror than any other nation in the 21st century. India till date is unable to shed its blinkers, let alone initiate any concrete counteraction to stem a rising existential threat. What India needs is a comprehensive approach that blends different key elements to form a credible counter-terror, Counter Naxal , Counter Proxy War & Counter BanglaDeshization strategy.

Excessive emphasis on defensive measures

An excessive emphasis on defensive measures only plays into the designs of terrorists and their masters by instilling a siege mentality, underlined by the Government’s refusal to take Naxalism Head On. The strength of police, paramilitary forces is more than 24 Lakhs but the Home Ministry is not able to find adequate CRPF/BSF/CISF Battalions for Anti Naxal operations. The siege mentality is also evident from the Government’s focus on trying to prevent a repeat of the last attack, rather than seeking to forestall the next innovative strike. The Home Ministry keeps on issuing warnings of threat to VIPs. Not even one VIPs has been killed since last 20 years while 1000 ordinary Indians have died up till now in 2011. The likelihood of terrorists arriving again in Mumbai and striking luxury hotels is very low. Yet the response to Mumbai has been to set up security cordons around luxury hotels.

Pak PM a ‘man of Peace’?

On Mumbai, India lost when ten Pakistani terrorists held its commercial capital hostage for almost three days. We are losing every day thereafter. Last eight months the battle for terror is being fought on TV Channels & news papers instead of fighting with the terrorists & Pakistan. We even invited Gen Mushharaf for a discussion on terrorism. The latest drama on Prime Ministers statement on Pak PM being man of peace is fresh in our memory. India’s response is akin to impotent fury.

Many of the “same critical flaws” in the security apparatus, including dismotivated police and laid back senior leadership remain."The nature of India's slow moving bureaucracy will greatly hinder our ability to overhaul the country's internal security network effectively.

Militancy: Internal and External forces

The country still provide Pakistani-based militants a good occasion to target the usual soft targets like crowded market places, movie theatres, hotels or religious sites. Militants are directly and indirectly encouraged by pseudo secularist in India and these people may even justify militant attacks in future given the past trends. We are yet to tackle front organizations like Huriyat Conference in J&K. It is a sad reality that our Home Ministry cannot respond to multifarious threats such as fake currency, subversion in the society & many other security threats adequately.

2400 people died in terrorism-related violence in India during year 2009. 2500 died in 2010. The number injured is four times the number dead. Infect the violence has escalated exponentially in J&K, North East, Naxal areas since last one month. The Home Ministry seems incapable of controlling Naxalite violence. It is high time the situation is handed over to army.

Bangladeshization of the North East

It is astonishing that the Congress& Left front   do not talk about the illegal infiltration of 3.5 crore Bangladeshis from Bangladesh The unabated migration have led to rise in criminal activities, unemployment & easy recruitment to terrorism all over the country. The government was rapped by the Supreme Court for failing to address the problem of illegal migration that was described by the court nothing less than external aggression.

Left Wing extremism, a real threat

Left Wing extremism constitutes what Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh rightly described as the single biggest internal security challenge. The Communist Party of India-Maoist, today, exercises dominance over a large swathe of the country’s territory & has now overtaken all other insurgencies in the country. The strength of CPOS, PMFs, and Police has increased to more than 24 Lakh but will they ever be able to control this challenge. Past & present record does not suggest so.

Coastal Security

Defense Ministry has forwarded a whopping Rs 15000 crore plan for setting a Coastal Command seven months back. Building infra structure; various ships will take 10-15 years. How will the security of coastline be ensured during the intervening period?

Police Reforms

 

Will the government accelerate the process of police reforms? How about qualitative improvement of Police? The police men on administrative and VIP duties should be used for protecting common People. The focus on creating a fortress mentality of guarding few favorite spots like police HQ’s, VIPs, cricketers leaving common man as vulnerable as before should be curbed. All politicians misusing security at the cost of common man need to be boycotted.

Lack of Political Will Power

At present there is a lack of Political will and leadership to take on terrorism/national security problems head on. A section of political class is subverted and unwilling to act because of vote bank politics. A lot of tax payer’s money has been spent in modernizing police, the PMFs, CPOs without increasing the security. The financial support to the terrorist organization continues unhindered. Despite being an IT super power the intelligence agencies have not been able to break in to terrorist web sites, E-mails and communications network to get actionable intelligence. NARCO terrorism is on the increase. Sub version in the society is serious cause of concern. All these aspects should be considered by the government.

After all can we afford unabated killing of 2500 Indians every year? 

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About Brig. Hemant Mahajan

Brigadier Heman Mahajan (YSM) joined armed forces since 1973. Started his military life as an officer with the ‘7 Maratha Light Infantry’. Brig. Mahajan has served in the most sensitive areas like Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, North Eastern states. Importantly Brig. Mahajan had an experience of serving his duty in highest and tough warzone like Kargil, handling peace situation in furious Punjab after the ‘Operational Blue Star’ and the Ayodhya region. Along with ‘Youth Seva Medal’, Brig. Mahajan is recipient of various Military awards for his excellent track record.

http://en.newsbharati.com//Encyc/2011/11/21/Security-Challenges.aspx?NB=&lang=1&m1=&m2=&p1=&p2=&p3=&p4=