‘Development is fine,but 2002 ghost will linger’

“No amount of development can condone the events of 2002,” he added.

In an exclusive interview with The Indian Express,Desai,who was here on Thursday to deliver the convocation address at the Mudra Institute of Communications,Ahmedabad (MICA),said one should never forget gross injustice unless there was proper reconciliation,adding it was not happening unfortunately.

“Getting justice in India is very difficult if you are a victim of the powerful,” said Desai,adding that “it again does not mean that we should forget injustice”.

Claiming that justice had not been done even in 1984 Sikh massacre cases in Delhi and killings of Muslims in Mumbai during post-Babri demolition riots in 1993 when Sharad Pawar was chief minister,the noted economist said it was shameful that Indian political system had forgotten these incidents. “Forgetting injustice is very difficult and there can’t be one-sided forgetfulness,” he said.

On the recent appeal by Gujarat-origin cleric Maulana Ghulam Muhammed Vastanvi that Muslims should leave behind the 2002 riots and move on,Desai said the issue of forgiveness arose only when there was a demand for it from the side of those considered guilty. “Let people from the other side come forward and say sorry for their guilt but unfortunately that has not happened,” he said.

Pointing out that so far no one has found any evidence to get Modi convicted under law,the British politician said: “Modi as well as BJP have still to explain whether events of 2002 in Ahmedabad,Vadodara and Surat were justified as a reaction to what happened in Godhra,or do they think it was a failure of law and order?”

“If Modi and BJP felt that post-Godhra killings were right and a revenge for Godhra,they should come out and say so openly,” Desai said.