Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Vipul Patel is scheduled to move a resolution in the Gujarat Assembly demanding “strict action” against the British Broad-casting Corporation (BBC) for running a “fabricated” documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots. Patel, an MLA from Sojitra Assembly constituency in Anand district, is expected to move a “private member’s resolution” in the second sitting of the House on March 10. “Yes, I will speak about it on the floor of the House in a couple of days. I am not against anyone. But I stand by my principles. I won’t be able to share more at this point,” Patel told The Indian Express over phone. The resolution that is expected to be moved on March 10 (as per the business for the day made public by the Gujarat Assembly) states that the Gujarat Assembly “should request the Government of India to take strict action against fabricated BBC documentary”. It states that “BBC seems to be working with a hidden agenda against the Government of India and the country”. The resolution begins by stating that the BBC documentary on 2002 Godhra train burning incident and the communal riots that followed, is an attempt to “blame” the state government. It states that the Gujarat government had appointed a two-member Nanavati-Shah Commission (comprising Justices GT Nanavati and KG Shah), which “created history” by bringing the conduct of then chief minister and his ministers within the purview of the Commission. The Commission after a detailed inquiry had concluded that the burning of the Sabarmati Express at Godhra on February 27, 2002 was a “pre-planned conspiracy” and the communal riots that followed were “spontaneous”. The resolution reads that the Commission’s report tabled in the Gujarat Assembly had stated that it had got no proof that the state government or any religious or political organisation played a role in the communal riots. It adds that even the Supreme Court firmly denied any involvement or inaction (in the riots) of the state government. The recently published BBC documentary is an attempt to tarnish the image and popularity of the then chief minister and the current Prime Minister of India. The documentary comes 20 years after the incident and is nothing but an “agenda” against PM Modi whose prestige and leadership are appreciated internationally, states the resolution adding that past attempts to hold the chief minister and government officials responsible have failed in the courts. It also states that media organisations cannot misuse the “freedom” that exists in India. The two-part BBC documentary is banned by the Government of India.
