Speaking in an interview about the 2002 Gujarat riots following the Supreme Court’s rejection of a petition opposed to the clean chit given to then-Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi in the 2002 unrest, Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that he saw Prime Minister Modi’s pain after the violence and that, despite knowing the truth, he continued to cooperate with authorities.
In an interview given to news agency ANI, Amit Shah said, “I have seen Modiji in pain after the riots. A national leader of such a stature kept mum even after such allegations. I have seen that all and we are now happy that the Supreme Court came with this verdict.”
#WATCH LIVE | HM Amit Shah breaks his silence on what happened during the 2002 Gujarat riots. An interview with ANI Editor Smita Prakash. https://t.co/qkX9eAYeG6
— ANI (@ANI) June 25, 2022
Amit Shah also stated that the court observed the case to be highly politically motivated. When asked why the leaders in the BJP did not do a press conference and an interview then, Amit Shah said that he stayed silent because the matter was subjudice. “We could have done this interview back then but we refrained because justice was yet to be delivered. We wanted the truth to be out in the public domain,” Home minister Shah said.
Nexus of political parties, ideological journalists and NGOs
Amit Shah emphasised that the riots and circumstances were exacerbated by the efforts of a nexus, which included opposition political parties, politically driven media reporters and journalists, and certain non-governmental organisations. Also speaking about the Special Investigation Team, Amit Shah said that it was not something ordered by the court, it was actually consented by the state government when asked by the court.
Amit Shah stated that all the allegations against the government of Gujarat were fake and fabricated. He said that the sting operation by Tehelka was also fake and ideologically motivated. “All the sting operations were fabricated. The court has itself observed that efforts were made to put a bad tag on the state government. It was we who agreed to constitute the SIT. Why there was no SIT after the 1984 riots in Delhi?” Shah remarked fiercely when asked about the BJP’s denial of the SIT.
Amit Shah also named NGO activist Teesta Setalvad and her involvement in the case to defame the authorities and the government. “Even the affidavits of the victims were signed by the NGOs. Things were fabricated this way. Teesta Setalvad’s name is openly known to all. Everyone knows how she has been involved in this.”
Gujarat has adopted the model of development, not violence
Adding more to his response to the allegations made by people, Amit Shah said that Gujarat adopted the model of development and not violence. “What is significant is the Gujarat model of development and not violence. What is more important than the verdict of the court is the public’s mandate. We have continuously won elections in Gujarat and we know that the public trusts us. Gujarat had a 10% agriculture growth rate for several years and people talk about that. The truth of the riots is known to everyone,” Amit Shah said.
Expressing his pain for the incident, Amit Shah said, “I have seen a child of 16 days burnt completely. I have taken bodies and survivors to the hospital. I was there myself present at the ground.”
Amit Shah raised questions about the silence from Congress over the death of 59 “Ram Bhakts” who were burned alive at the Godhra railway station, that initiated the 2002 riots. Further, Amit Shah put to rest an oft-repeated lie that the dead bodies from Godhra were paraded in Gujarat to stir emotions and engineer the riots.
He said that the main reason for the riot was the burning of the train in Godhara but no one speaks about it. “People alleged that we paraded the bodies to instigate mobs. No, that is not true. The bodies of the deceased were taken to Sola civil hospital and then they were handed over to their families. All such allegations were completely false.”
In his closing remarks, pointing at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Shah said that Narendra Modi is not one who does drama and calls ministers and people to pressurize authorities. He said, “Narendra Modi is an honest person and he went all alone and faced all investigations. We believe in truth and we don’t fear anything.”
