Nanavati report another medal on Modi's chest

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New Delhi: Narendra Modi is the BJP's mascot in its war on terror. Talking the tough talk is something that the Gujarat Chief Minister has converted into a personal style statement and not for nothing is he often talked about as the future leader of the BJP.

However, his biggest hurdle so far has been the Godhra taint.

Ironically, it's something that continues to endear him to those who believe in hardline Hindutva while at the same time, it's been the permanent ammunition for his opponents.

"It's very strange that Modi, who is the communal virus of our society, is getting the report from those who were supposed to investigate his own self," said Railway Minister Lalu Prasad on Thursday.

Modi hopes to play a critical role in the forthcoming round of Assembly elections. His strategy so far has been to refine Moditva, to refine himself from being a Hindu Hriday Samrat (the true Hindu leader) to a tough talking able administrator.

It's a move that he hopes will catapult him to the national political stage and a favourable response from Justice Nanavati will only help him in his cause.

The first part of the Nanavati panel's 168-page report, which was tabled in the Gujarat Assembly on Thursday amid high drama, has virtually given a clean chit to the Gujarat Chief Minister, saying there was no evidence to incriminate him or any member of his cabinet.

The tabling of the report - that contradicts the findings of the U C Banerjee panel set up by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, which had unequivocally stated that the fire was accidental - has created further divisions in the country's already polarised politics.

The next general elections are supposed to be a last hurrah of sorts for the BJP's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani. Meanwhile, Narendra Modi is positioning himself as the leader with a mass base as well as the blessings of the Sangh Parivar. After all, if Advani could make the transition from being a hawk in the '90s to the prime ministerial candidate of 2008, then why not Modi?

VIOLENT HISTORY

Fifty-nine people, including 25 women and 15 children, were burnt alive when a violent mob set ablaze two coaches of the Sabarmati Express at the Godhra railway station on February 27, 2002. Many of them were said to be Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists returning after a campaign in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.

The gruesome incident led to sectarian violence that raged for weeks in which 1,169 people, a majority of them Muslims, were killed and the ripples of which are still being felt.

In its long awaited report, retired high court judges G T Nanavati and Akshay Mehta said 140 litres of petrol was purchased as part of the conspiracy to burn the bogey. It added that the conspiracy was hatched by "chief conspirator" Moulvi Umarji at the Aman Guest House in Godhra, about 140 km from Ahmedabad, and was meant to spread terror in the area.

According to the report, the arson was a premeditated act and there was heavy stone throwing at the S-6 and S-7 coaches for 10 to 20 minutes followed by the burning that prevented people from coming out.

It says Godhra locals Razak Kurkur and Salim Panwala had purchased the petrol a day earlier and carried them in containers. Six others - Shaukat Lalu, Imran Sheri, Rafiq, Salim Zarda, Zabeer and Siraj Bala - were also involved in setting the crowded passenger train ablaze. All are in custody under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).

The Nanavati Commission said there was no evidence to show there was lapse in the role of the chief minister or his ministers in providing protection, relief and rehabilitation to the victims of the communal riots or in the matter of not complying with the recommendations and directions given by the National Human Rights Commission.

In the Gujarat Assembly on Thursday, the Opposition Congress walked out in protest as Minister of State for Home Amit Shah tabled the report on the first day of the three-day assembly session.

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