The Hindu : `Outside elements' may be involved in Godhra: Advani

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 04, 2002

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`Outside elements' may be involved in Godhra: Advani
By Manas Dasgupta

The Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani, speaking to a badly burned riot victim in a hospital in Ahmedabad on Saturday. - Reuters

AHMEDABAD, MARCH 3. The Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani, said today that preliminary investigations by the Central agencies indicated the involvement of some ``outside elements'' in the Sabarmati Express attack near the Godhra Railway station.

Talking to mediapersons after a visit to some of the affected areas in Ahmedabad and Godhra and discussions with the senior State officials, Mr. Advani said there was yet no conclusive evidence but the ``needle of suspicion'' goes towards ``involvement of some outside elements'' in the attack.

He said the swift way the train operation was carried out, gave indications of it being a ``pre-meditated'' attack and not being the handiwork of only the local people. He did not name what ``outside elements'' he thought was involved but said the reality would be known in the judicial inquiry into the incident ordered by the Gujarat Government.

Promises probe

He, however, did not agree that the inquiry into the Godhra train episode and the subsequent incidents of violence in various parts of the State could be clubbed together. Mr. Advani compared the burning of innocent women and children in Ahmedabad and some other parts of the State in the aftermath of the train tragedy as nothing but an ``act of terrorism'' like what was going on in Jammu and Kashmir which was sought to be described as ``freedom struggle''. But later replying to a question, he qualified the events in the State as ``communal violence'' since there was no element of causing ``terror'' among the people. He said he would advise the State Government to order an inquiry into the gory incidents in Ahmedabad, particularly the burning of houses in Meghaninagar and Naroda areas in which over 100 people were killed.

Describing both the Godhra tragedy and what followed as ``reprehensible'', the Minister said that the Gujarat incidents had also spoiled the four-year record of the National Democratic Alliance Government at the Centre of providing violence-free administration in the country. But he expressed the confidence that the situation would soon be brought under control and assured necessary assistance to achieve it.

Mr. Advani, who was accompanied by the Union Home Secretary, Kamal Pande, and the Director-General of the Border Security Force, Gurbachan Singh, visited Meghaninagar and some other affected areas and called on the injured at the civil hospital before leaving for Godhra. On his return, he held detailed discussions with the Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, and senior officials on the situation. Mr. Advani later left for Hyderabad to pay tributes to the deceased Speaker of the Lok Sabha, G. M. C. Balyogi, but said he planned to visit some more affected cities and towns particularly Baroda, Bhavnagar and Rajkot.

Mr. Advani, has reportedly communicated to Mr. Modi the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee's instructions to take stern steps to curb the violence.

Without naming Pakistan, Mr. Advani said those who had been threatening the country's borders but were finding themselves ``cornered'' all over the world in the last few months, would feel ``happy'' over the turn of events in Gujarat.

He rejected the opposition demand for handing over Gujarat to the Army and said not enough personnel could be spared to take over the entire State. The Army's assistance was sought and provided to help the civil authorities restore law and order. Pointing out that the scale of violence was being tapered down since Army began flag march in the affected areas. He also denied that the Centre delayed in sending the Army.

Police `not inactive'

He also did not agree that the State police was ``inactive'' and said he had been informed that on the first day itself at least 77 people were killed in police firing. He also disagreed that there was any intelligence failure to prevent the Godhra train tragedy. He had told the officials at Godhra that they must find out the culprits. He said he did not want to bring politics into it and added that he was not aware of the political affiliation of the four councillors of Godhra arrested in this connection.

He said he had also asked the officials to constitute peace committees and take out peace marches in the affected areas to instill a sense of confidence and security among the people.

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