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Political Notes

	September 08, 2003

Gujarat : Curfew in Godhra

Communal clashes broke out in Godhra on last Friday afternoon after a Ganesh immersion procession (Ganesh is one of the Hindu Gods, whose images are taken in processions every year and immersed in water) came under stone attack, prompting the authorities to impose a curfew in this communally sensitive town.

Godhra witnessed the burning alive of Hindus in a train. This set off the communal violence in Gujarat in which many members of the minority community died. In India, religious occasions of either community have to be carefully monitored specially when the communal environment is vitiated, as it is in Gujarat.



Best Bakery case : State’s plea to Supreme Court

The Gujarat government has said it is “rather impossible to comply fully” with the Supreme Court’s directions to protect witnesses in riot cases in the wake of the Best Bakery controversy. In this controversial case, all the accused were acquitted after most witnesses did not depose, allegedly under pressure.

In its counter affidavit to the petition filed by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the state urged the apex court to modify its order of August 8 as it is “extremely difficult” to provide “full and complete protection” to the witnesses, their families and relatives.

The state had claimed in its counter affidavit on last Monday that it had “complied” with the court’s directions and offered protection to 1,187 witnesses in the nine serious cases shortlisted by the NHRC. But it asserted that most of those witnesses had refused to accept protection for the time being and instead asked to be provided the same at a later stage.

As regards the Best Bakery case, the Narendra Modi government has asserted that no witness “had complained to police or the state government about threat or coercion extended to them.”

Accusing the NHRC of “rushing” to the Supreme Court with a “misconceived” petition, the state said: “It appears that the so-called threat or coercion to Zaheera Habibullah Shaikh and her mother Seharunnisa Shaikh came to the knowledge of the petitioner and others through media reports.”

Referring to its own appeal filed in the Gujarat High Court last month against the acquittals in the Best Bakery case, the state said the NHRC’s petition seeking a retrial outside Gujarat “does not survive”. It also said there were no precedents of bypassing High Courts in criminal trials ending in acquittals and the NHRC’s bid to seek relief directly from the Supreme Court is “extremely exceptional”.



Ayodhya : Hindutva outfit to form panel on temple

Following the Archeological Survey of India findings after digging at the disputed site at Ayodhya, claiming the presence of a temple-like structure, below the demolished mosque, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad is pressurising the Centre to take a final decision on the construction of the temple.

VHP international secretary general Praveen Togadia has said a high-level committee comprising religious leaders would be formed to take a final decision on construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

“A three-day meeting in New Delhi, chaired by Mahant Avedhnath, starting on September 14 will constitute a Kendriya Marg Darshan Committee (Central Path Finding Committee) consisting of religious leaders. It will take a decision on giving final shape, path and setting of time-frame for construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya,” Togadia told a news conference. He said a people’s movement alone could help the cause of the temple as there was no hope for a legislative alternative.

Claiming that the movement had already started with ongoing Sankalp Sutra (Thread of Pledge) programme across the country, Togadia expressed the hope that secular leaders and Muslim leadership would accept ASI findings in Ayodhya, paving way for the construction of the temple.

In the meantime, launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, the VHP has disfavoured giving another chance to him while accusing him of “weakening” the country and not having any sentiments for Hindus.

“We will not want Atalji to lead the country for another term,” VHP international working president Ash Singhal stated in Jammu alleging that under his rule the country had been “weakened”, although India’s image had grown after nuclear tests by his government in 1998. Singhal also warned of a “dangerous reaction” across the country if the Ram temple was not allowed to be built at the Lord’s birth place in Ayodhya.