Riots panel gets history lessons from cops, babus

Of the 700-odd affidavits from police officers filed before the Justice G T Nanavati and Justice K G Shah commission, over 150 list all the riots that have taken place in Ahmedabad and Godhra. Even trivial incidents, such as that of a Muslim boy being slapped while on his way to buy milk in 1981 haven8217;t been left out.

Take the affidavit of P C Pande, who was police commissioner in Ahmedabad when the post-Godhra riots broke out. During cross-examination, this officer had failed to recollect issues discussed in a crucial meeting with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on February 27, 2002.

But he has devoted 15 pages of his 48-page affidavit to 8216;8216;The Historical Background of Ahmedabad from 1411 A.D.8217;8217; He also includes a small essay on the role of Ahmedabadis in the 1857 riots.

Former Superintendent of Police of the Panchmahals, Raju Bhargav, narrates the history of Godhra from 1925 to 2002. He says he spent over a month collecting data for the 8216;8216;history portion of my affidavit.8217;8217;

8216;8216;My only purpose in giving the background history is to make the commission aware of the social fabric of Godhra. I collected the data from gazetteers, police records, even some confidential reports,8217;8217; he says.

Former additional chief secretary Home Ashok Narayan has given details of the earliest documented communal riots, which took place in 1714. This riot, he informs the commission, began with a fight over the use of gulal during Holi. Narayan also gives details of riots sparked by cow slaughter in Ahmedabad. He refused to comment on what relevance this might have to what happened in Godhra and what followed.

Quite a few collectors and police officers have quoted from the Bhagwat Gita on performance of duty and maintenance of social order. Former intelligence chief R B Sreekumar8217;s affidavit touches upon the spiritual aspects of both Hinduism and Islam. During cross-examination, he also quoted two shlokas from the Mahabharat on the role of spies and intelligence-gathering.

A senior official working with the commission says many officers 8212; right from sub-inspector level8212;haven8217;t given their accounts of what actually happened in their jurisdiction. They have all focussed on past episodes of Hindu-Muslim clashes, he says.

One affidavit that takes the cake is the spiral-bound 59-page affidavit from K G Vanjhara, director of the Developing Castes Welfare Department. It includes 39 photographs of Vanjhara, mostly in a cowboy hat, interacting with various personalities, including Sri Sri Ravishankar of the Art of Living Foundation.

Some photographs show him interacting with Muslims at social functions. Also appended are certificates he has received from voluntary groups commending him for his efficiency in handling the 2002 riots. Apparently, his department had organised meetings to foster communal harmony.