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PM urged to ensure Gujarat camps are open

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JULY 3. A delegation of citizens, led by the former Prime Minister, I. K. Gujral, and retired Supreme Court Chief Justice, A. M. Ahmadi, met the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, to discuss the situation in Gujarat and urge him to ensure that relief camps are not closed and the quantum and disbursement of compensation to the victims of violence be reviewed.

The delegation, representing the recently-formed Forum for Fraternity and Reconciliation (FFR) made a presentation to the Prime Minister of the findings of a report it commissioned titled "Gujarat: Four Months Down the Road." Also present at the meeting were the Cabinet Secretary, T. Prasad, who heads the Gujarat Relief and Rehabilitation cell and five senior Gujarat Government officials.

The delegation brought to the Prime Minister's notice the fact that conditions in the relief camps were "sub-human'' and that by declaring them closed the Government had absolved itself of the responsibility of providing even the very basic food and medical supplies. It said the compensation announced was inadequate and the disbursement so far was completely arbitrary.

The delegation told the Prime Minister of the sense of insecurity that existed among Muslims. Justice Ahmadi said they had suggested that the Jagannath Yatra be cancelled or its route changed in view of the fact that there was a recent history of violence surrounding it. The Prime Minister did not respond to the suggestion.

The former Foreign Secretary, Muchkund Dubey, who was part of the team that undertook the study in Gujarat said the actions of the Gujarat Government pointed towards early elections.

The decision to close down the relief camps was part of an exercise to suggest that "normality'' had returned. Mr. Gujral said the delegation had voiced its concern about the possibility of an early election with the Prime Minister but did not receive a satisfactory response from him. He said the FFR planned to raise the issue with the Election Commission.

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