ADG affidavit puts Modi on spot again

Gujarat government8217;s attempt to 8216;8216;downplay the role of the state Intelligence Bureau during the post-Godhra communal riots8221; has emerged in the second affidavit filed by R.B. Sreekumar, the then ADG, before the two-man riot inquiry commission.

Sreekumar, whose first affidavit before Justice G. T. Nanavati and Justice K.G. Shah stirred a hornets8217; nest, said in his recent affidavit that the Home Department told him to prepare a report on the law and order on August 20, 2002, keeping in mind the upcoming Assembly elections.

After going through Sreekumar8217;s assessment which stated that thousands of voters were affected due to the riots, the then additional chief secretary home Ashok Narayan, in his reply on September 9, 2002, described Sreekumar8217;s assessment as 8216;8216;a distorted picture8221;. Narayan8217;s reply to Sreekumar8217;s assessment includes 8216;8216;the word affected would mean affected from the point of view of law and a few isolated cases need not influence the poll process.8221;