Narendra Modi can easily be termed as the most intriguing politician of modern day Indian politics. That’s why it comes as no surprise that his recent visit to the Supreme Court appointed SIT for questioning in the Gujarat riots has evoked strong emotions yet again. The media & human rights groups have termed this event significant as it is for the first time that a sitting chief minister is been questioned for his/her role in communal riots. Whether Modi gets indicted or not is still to be seen but it is important to note that the Congress which has left no opportunity in the past to attack Modi on this issue and is an equal culprit when it comes to communal riots.
Congress is guilty for been involved in communal riots directly or indirectly just like the BJP. The anti-Sikh riots in 1984 are still one of the worst riots that have taken place in independent India. The riots broke out in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi’s assassination and the Congress leaders were alleged to have led the mobs and exterminate Sikhs in Delhi. Similarly, when the Babri mosque was demolished in 1992, it was again the Congress that was in power. Then PM Narasimha Rao was widely criticized for not having done enough to protect the structure (mosque) which led to one of the worst communal riots that independent India had witnessed. So why is it that the Congress has always managed to escape any legal scrutiny and has still presented itself as the ‘most’ secular political party?
When the 1984 anti Sikh riots took place in Delhi, the Congress was in power at the centre and Delhi been a union territory came directly under the central government. There was no Delhi chief minister but the central government, the home ministry which were very much in the heart of the capital failed to stop the riots which went on for three long days. And it’s been nearly two and half decades but no one has been prosecuted. Ten commissions were formed post the riots, but finally the Nanavati commission’s report did name Tytler and Sajjan Kumar. Yes, there are cases in the court against the Jagdish Tytler & Sajjan Kumar, but lets not forget that the CBI had given cleans chits to both these Congress leaders not too long ago. It was again the Supreme Court that ordered the reopening of these cases. The other factor that has helped the Congress is that from 1984 till 1989 the Congress was in power. And the ‘n’ number of coalitions that came to power in between including the NDA failed to investigate the riots.
Similarly, the culprits of the Babri mosque demolition and the riots that followed have still not been prosecuted. The much awaited Liberhan commission report which was tabled a few months back and which also named some BJP politicians but not surprisingly gave a clean chit to Narsimha Rao turned out to be a complete eye wash. Even the Congress did pursue any legal action as that would have also forced them to owe responsibility given that they were in power. The CBI case is still going on against Advani & other BJP leaders but a dramatic action against them is unlikely. With no television media presence during the ‘84 riots and limited print media, the news coverage was also lackluster in the long run.
On the other hand, Gujarat has managed to stay in the limelight for a plethora of reasons. Firstly, the role played by the vigilant media, especially, the English media which was instrumental in covering the riots in Gujarat comprehensively and objectively. The second important factor was the UPA’s or rather Congress’s return to power in 2004. The time UPA took over the home ministry in 2004, the Gujarat riots were still fresh in the minds of the people and the Congress used that to its advantage by expediting the investigation process.
The only difference between the Congress & BJP remains that the former has apologized for the ‘84 riots while the latter still remains unapologetic for the 2002 Gujarat riots. Sonia Gandhi & Manmohan Singh both have publicly apologized for the ‘84 riots where as BJP & Modi still refuse to accept any moral responsibility for the riots.
So if the Congress truly wants to proclaim the crown of the true secular party of India, it is imperative that the two incidents mentioned above should be investigated objectively and the culprits should be brought to the book. Yes, as a nation we have moved much ahead with the hope that such communal riots do not occur ever again. But still the culprits who have shaken the fabric of secular India move scout free, the emergence of the new Congress (Rahul era) will remain hollow.
