The Hindu : Campaign in Godhra totally communal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 10, 2002

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Campaign in Godhra totally communal

By Manas Dasgupta

GODHRA DEC. 9. Whatever may be the tone and tenor of the election campaign in the rest of Gujarat, in Godhra, the scene of the train carnage on February 27, it is out and out on communal lines. It is not a fight between the candidates of the two parties but between those who "defamed'' the residents of Signal Falia and those who brought a bad name to Gujarat. More than the BJP, it is the Vishwa Hindu Parishad which is more active in Godhra campaigning on the Hindu card.

The Signal Falia slums where some 3,000 people, mostly Muslims, lived had hit the headlines after the train carnage and an accusing finger was pointed against its residents as the perpetrators of the heinous crime of burning alive 58 passengers of the Sabarmati Express coach. They were also singled out as the "criminal tribe'' by the Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, when he took his `gaurav yatra' to the "notorious town'' last month.

But the residents of Signal Falia are not alone. The entire Muslim community in the town, which has a fair presence in Godhra, is determined to vote out the BJP.

To counter the Muslim unity, the VHP has pressed into service more than 1000 `sants' in the constituency to "educate'' the majority community about the "threats'' to Hindutva from the "Islamic jehadis.''

Thousands of posters, placards and leaflets carrying the "Godhra message from the train carnage'' adorn the Hindu houses in the town. A senior BJP leader and Minister in the Modi Cabinet, campaigning in the constituency, said, "if you are a Hindu, vote for the BJP, if you are a Muslim, vote Congress''. The BJP makes it clear that it neither expects nor counts on the Muslim votes, at least in this constituency.

By selecting a former Bajrang Dal State president, Haresh Bhatt, who had severed his links with the VHP, to contest the elections, the BJP has tried to send the message across that at least in Godhra the party would be playing the Hindutva card. Mr. Bhatt, who played an active role in the Hindupat Padshahi yatra last month, does not consider that his being an `outsider' in the constituency would matter much for the voters. He stands for the Hindus and not just a party. "I may be an outsider for Godhra, but at least I am not from Italy,'' he quipped.

The Congress-affiliated `sadhus' are also active in the constituency telling the Hindu voters that the VHP was not the sole proprietor of Hindutva. But often, they are finding it hard to convince the hardcore Hindu propagandists.

The image of the Congress candidate, Rajendra Patel, who was elected from the constituency last time on the Janata Dal ticket, is none too bright.

Some people in Signal Falia claim that Mr. Patel had actively participated in the riots against the Muslims.

In any case, the Muslims view him as the "lesser of the two evils'' and are bound to support the Congress. The Muslim leaders from outside are also campaigning in the constituency, advising them to vote en bloc against the BJP.

The Muslims, with about 45,000 votes in a constituency having an electorate of 1.78 lakhs, can play a decisive role if the Hindu votes are divided. And the hopes of the Congress rest on that.

Almost the entire trading community in Godhra and the rest of the Panchamahals district have turned against the BJP because of the heavy losses they had suffered in business during the post-Godhra riots.

"Godhra's name has been tarnished to such an extent that no one from outside is ready to transact business with us,'' said Arjun Patel, a local provision stone owner.

The business community is apprehensive that its conditions would not improve unless it demonstrates to the world that the people had no interest either in the train carnage or in the post-Godhra riots.

And the only way to show it is to "defeat the BJP".

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