BJP MLA proposes resolution against BBC documentary in Gujarat Assembly

A BJP MLA has proposed passing a "resolution" against contentious BBC documentary on 2002 post-Godhra riots and the role of the state government headed by the then chief minister Narendra Modi in the ongoing Gujarat assembly on Friday, March 10. The proposal seeks to request the central government to take action against the BBC for its "fabricated findings shown in the documentary."

The one-and-a-half page proposal for discussion was distributed two days in advance due to three days Holi break from March 7 to March 9. The proposal states, "The BBC documentary misrepresenting events of 2002 is ill-intentioned and an attempt at the lowest level to tarnish India's global image at the international level." When asked what was the purpose of the proposal, Vipul Patel, the BJP MLA, told DH that he would comment only after passing of the resolution on March 10.

The proposal says that the documentary has "once again attempted to blame the then state government for the 2002 Godhra riots and the subsequent communal riots" despite state government and its functionaries including the then chief minister and current prime minister Narendra Modi and others getting "clean chit" from judiciary.

"A lowly attempt has been made to deliberately defame the image and popularity of the then chief minister and the current prime minister, Modi saheb... With an agenda to damage the growing international prestige of the Prime Minister, his steadfast leadership and his firm determination to bring India to the forefront of the world in social and economic fields, the BBC seems to be playing a negative role by releasing the documentary 20 years after the incident. The documentary is holding the then chief minister directly responsible for unfortunate incident, which is contrary to the Nanavati Commission which gave 'clean chit" to the state government," the proposal reads.

The proposal mentions formation of inquiry commission under retire justices KG Shah and GT Nanavati as its chairman vide order dated 21/05/2002. It says that the commission "came to the conclusion that the burning of a train compartment at Godhra Railway station on 27/02/2002 was a pre-planned conspiracy. The communal riots that broke out in Gujarat after 27/2/2002 were spontaneous." The compartment (S-6) of Sabarmati Express train was burnt at Godhra station in which 59 persons, mostly karsevak returning from Ayodhya, were killed. A day later, widespread riots followed in various parts of the state.

The proposal states that the commission in its report found that "there was no evidence that the state government, any religious body or political party played any role in these riots. Both of these reports have been tabled in the assembly." It adds, "With this in mind, it becomes important for this house to review the course of events leading to the apparent innocence of the Prime Minister in the 2002 Gujarat violence. In addition to that, any collusion and inaction on behalf of the government of Gujarat has been emphatically denied by the Supreme Court."

The proposal claims that some "hateful elements" and NGOs who become "hands of the foreign government" went right from metropolitan court to supreme court unsuccessfully demanding to "hold the then chief minister, bureaucrats directly or indirectly responsible for the incident."

Saying that "India is a democratic country and freedom of expression is at the core of its concept", the proposal says that "it does not mean that a news media can abuse the freedom in any manner." It adds, "Anyone who behaves or acts like this cannot be taken lightly. BBC is losing its credibility and seems to be working with some hidden agenda against Indian country and Indian government."