Teesta releases 'Dharmada Hesarinalli'

Mangalore, DH News Service:

“Communalisation of politics, education and the armed forces will take the nation into a critical situation,” said noted Human Rights Activist Teesta Setalvad.
She was speaking after releasing ‘Dharmada Hesarinalli,’ the Kannada version of a Malayalam book written by former Gujarath DGP R B Srikumar, which was translated by writer Sara Abubakker, at the Aloysius College here on Thursday.

“RDX, which is a powerful explosive supplied only to the Indian Army, was utilised in Malegaon incident. This proves that efforts are on to communalise the Indian Army too,” Setalvad said.

Talking about Gujarath communal riots, she charged that the trials in many of the cases were not conducted fairly. “Prosecutors belonging to VHP were appointed in courts by the government to pull down the cases,” she alleged adding that the Gujarath Government had done everything possible to ensure favourable judgements.

None of the accused in major communal violences in India were prosecuted so far.

The political class in our nation are not interested in the prosecution of accused in the communal riot cases, she opined. Media in India should examine critically their performance during the communal violence situation, she added.

“We have to take stock of the manner in which we dealt with our Constitution.

Areas including politics, community, culture, education and law and order should be brought under the scanner on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the Indian Constitution,” she said.

Speaking on the occasion, DGP R B Srikumar said that the days of Gujarath riot literally was an atrocious period for him as a senior police officer. “I had to face many challenges and threats as I had filed four affidavits and several reports against the government. Even though I spoiled my life by fighting communalism, I do not repent for it. But at the same time, I feel being proud of myself,” he added.  He said that the Gujarath government was acting as modern hero by protecting the violators. “I could not deviate from the constitutionally established laws of the nation. But nothing could be done to prevent communal forces,” he said adding that the communalisation gains ground because of the inaction of secular citizens.

Talking about the Godhra Sabarmathi Express tragedy, he said that the incident was part of a conspiracy. “However, the then deputy Prime Minister L K Advani was trying to portray it as a Pakistani conspiracy,” he added.

“The Godhra incident was the execution of an anti-minority conspiracy perpetrated with communal motive. No riot can take place without the connivance of police or the administration,” he said.

Writer Sara Abubakker, Karnataka Komu Souhardha Vedike convener K L Ashok, former DGP S Mariswamy and Citizens Forum for Mangalore Development joint co-ordinator Vidya Dinkar were present.