by SHIVVISVANATHAN
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi
We will have to wait for the Supreme Court’s decision on the issue, as well as the report of the amicus curiae. Based on what directions the Supreme Court may give, civil society groups must take the lead and access further information on issues that have supposedly been “not used or destroyed”. That will raise the chances of Modi’s indictment under charges of destruction of information and evidence, apart from the simple fact that he destroyed human lives. It is very important that Modi be legally indicted – legally shown that he is not fit for political conduct. This will take time and I know that those who have fought against Modi for the past eight years are quite tired. The media, on the other hand, should pick up the real issues rather than nitpick on Teesta Setalvad’s conduct or her exercising her democratic rights.
For example, what was the issue with Setalvad approaching the UN? Isn’t India a part of the UN? We might not be able to hold Modi for murder, but destruction of information should be considered a huge crime against citizens, as information is a legacy of the people, and a tool for availing justice. Modi has indeed violated and destroyed the integrity of polity. There have to be norms to handle genocide.
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For many urban liberals, this case has unfortunately become a medical report – if you cannot solve it, dispose it. …
Modi is a magnified pracharak, a dream-like malevolent dictator for the elite and their idea of a modern Gujarat. This is a Gujarat that would love to do away with civilisational memories and never involve itself with ethical responsibilities. We have such a situation here. Take, for instance, the prominent academic institutions of Ahmedabad that have taken vows of silence on what happened in 2002. Unless justice acts as therapy for the memories of 2002, this society will remain tainted forever.
Tehelka for more
(Thanks to Harsh Kapoor of SACW)