Time to revisit why Islamists had 'preplanned' Godhra mayhem ?

Time to revisit why Islamists had 'preplanned' Godhra mayhem ?

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Now that the Supreme Court has finally given a clean chit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi upholding the magisterial court's orders, it may be time to probe whether the Godhra train inferno was preplanned?

The BJP, the VHP and other Sangparivar elements have all along since 2002 alleged that the Godhrarailway platform mayhem of Feb 27, 2002, was 'preplanned'.One common refrain from Gujarat police and ministers from time to time - beginning 2002 - has beenthat "such a huge mob could not have been collected or gathered unless there was a deliberate attemptto incite violence".In fact the Railway Police Force FIR lodged on Feb 27 (2002) itself was the 'first' authentic version availableabout the incident. 

Photo credit: LiveLaw web

It had categorically said that provocative appeals made over loudspeakers from a nearby Masjid had surcharged the atmosphere.It also claimed - "miscreants from the minority community had planned to attack more coaches and thepassengers had closed all windows and doors and thus made themselves captive targets".

The RPF version maintained that the train was stopped for the 'second time' by removing the vacuum pump. Three RPF personnel on duty - Karan Singh, Sri Mohan Yadav and Ambaresh Kumar - fired four rounds from .303 rifles.Ambaresh also alerted other colleagues and the inspector in charge J K George.

Inspector George and one of his colleagues Nawab Singh rushed to the spot while 'provocativeappeals; were being made from the local Masjid over a loudspeaker.

The RPF FIR charged over 1000 people with conspiracy and murder under various sections includingsection 302 of IPC.The RPF officials also sought reinforcement and about 40 personnel and four doctors had rushed from Baroda.

Curiously, it was later given out by eyewitness accounts and local residents that Godhra township did not have much educated people. It was also reported that the chief occupation of a 'vast number of youths'in the township has been to rob train passengers, snatch chains and lift bags.

There were other interesting stories related to the incidents of Godhra railway platform.

One source had said then (in 2002) that there were heavy stone pelting on the burnt coach fromthe southern side of the tracks as window panes on the other (northern side) had melted in the fire.

Closer investigations of the Forensic Laboratory had stated that the intensity of the heat in the charredcoash S-6 was four-five times more towards seat No. 72.It was concluded that - "....standing in the passage of seat number 72, using a container with a wide opening,about 60 litres of liquid had been poured and immediately a fire had been started in the bogie".

On various allegations and theories of 'larger conspiracy', the Supreme Court has finally hit the nail. It said that accepting the argument of a larger conspiracy behind the riots would raise the question whether the Godhra train burning was also the “outcome of alleged larger criminal conspiracy”. 

“Such a view would be preposterous,” the judgment said. 

 

ends 

("Judgement clearly mentions Teesta Setalvad's name. Her NGO gave applications involving BJP workers to all Police Stations.There was so much pressure from the media that all applications were treated as truth" - HM Amit Shah.)

'Motivated campaigners'  now to face other side of Law: Teesta Setalvad, cop R B Sreekumar arrested 

The arrest came a day after the Supreme Court said that false allegations of ‘larger conspiracy’ were made in the Gujarat riots case. 

Former IPS officer RB Sreekumar has been arrested by the Ahmedabad Police. The move comes a day after the SC dismissed Zakia Jafri’s plea against former Gujarat CM Narendra Modi and other state officials, saying that false allegations of ‘larger conspiracy’ were made in the Gujarat riots case.

The arrests are linked to the verdict which said crystal clear - “As a matter of fact, all those involved in such abuse of process, need to be in the dock and proceeded with in accordance with law". 

RB Sreekumar has been arrested by the Ahmedabad crime branch for furnishing false information about the Gujarat riots. Gujarat Police has registered a case against former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, former IPS officer RB Sreekumar and Teesta Setalvad in connection with the case.

BJP spokesman Sambit Patra said - “Setalvad tutored the witnesses”. He also said that the money collected in the name of helping victims were used for personal gain.

The Supreme Court had on Friday, dismissed as “devoid of merit” an appeal by Zakia Jafri in a plea challenging SIT’s clean chit to the then chief minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi and others in cases related to the riots. Zakia Jafri is the widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri who was killed in the riots.

Asked about his mention of NGOs, Home Minister Amit Shah told ANI : “I have read the judgment hurriedly but it clearly states the name of Teesta Setalvad. It was Setalvad’s NGO that gave an application involving BJP workers in every police station and the pressure by the media was so immense that every application was treated as truth.”

Supreme Court finally nails the 'lie' and theories of lies!

It said that accepting the argument of a larger conspiracy behind the riots would raise the question whether the Godhra train burning was also the “outcome of alleged larger criminal conspiracy”. 

“Such a view would be preposterous,” the judgment said. 

Arrested following SC verdict, Teesta earlier faced a funds embezzlement case

Teesta Setalvad had been into controversies in more ways than one about the 2002 Gujarat riots.

In 2004 November, an eye witness in the Best Bakery case of Vadodara, Zaheera Sheikh, charged her with pressurising her.

She is now amid yet another row as the Supreme Court has taken cognisance of the Gujarat police the complaint in the Zakia Jafri case, wherein Setalvad is charged with forgery, giving false evidence, conspiracy and fabricating records.

The complaint by the Gujarat police also names Retd IPS Officer R B Sreekumar and imprisoned former DIG (Gujarat) Sanjeev Bhatt. Sreekumar and Teesta have been arrested.

The Supreme Court has also said, “As a matter of fact, all those involved in such abuse of process, need to be in the dock and proceeded with in accordance with law”. So, the law has caught up with these elements.

In 2016, a three-member panel set up by the Ministry of HRD comprising Supreme Court lawyer Abhijeet Bhattacharjee, the then Gujrat Central University Vice-Chancellor SK Bari and a senior official from the HRD ministry had concluded in their report that Teesta Setalvad and her organisation had tried to ‘Mix religion with politics’ and attempted to spread religious disharmony through their ‘learning material’.

The reference and reading material was sanctioned by the then UPA government when Kapil Sibal was the HRD minister. The then UPA government had given a grant of Rs 1.4 crores to Setalvad’s trust, which she was accused of embezzling.

Teesta’s case is that of an opportunist individual who cleverly exploited the given situation, people’s nightmare and made the most from the muddled water. In 2003, she took an extraordinary interest in presenting Zaheera Sheikh at the Mumbai Press Club, wherein Zaheera demanded retail of the Best Bakery case of Vadodara outside Gujarat.

The entire legal case often appeared much murkier in the later stage. In 2004 yet again, a special court in Mumbai was informed by prosecutor Manjula Rao that Zaheera’s brother Nafitullah had given the slip and ran away from a guest house. So, he could not depose before the court.

There were also reports that Zaheera’s mother had asked for money from Teesta. An eyewitness, Raes Pathan, was appearing before a special court in Mumbai and said that he was deposed in the case because of Teesta.

On June 25, 2022, BJP spokesman Sambit Patra claimed Teesta Setalvad “tutored the witnesses”. He also said that the money collected in the name of helping victims was used for personal gain.

In fact, the funds abuse case against Teesta was registered on complaints of her former aide Raees Pathan. He had reportedly claimed that Teesta’s Sabrang Trust’s publications spread ‘dissatisfaction’ among minorities, especially Muslims.

The ‘curriculum’ they prepared under the Khoj project contained narratives of the Babri Masjid demolition and supposed saffronisation taking over the entire country.

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