The PM is speaking: Listen carefully

The PM is being heard by the murderers of the three-year-old Saleha, and Saleha's mother, Bilkis Bano, is also listening to him

"There was a conspiracy to defame Gujarat, and an attempt was made to stop investment there." The Prime Minister made this statement just three days ago in Gujarat. This statement was noted, but its meaning has not been understood.

After the release of the perpetrators of violence against Bilkis Bano, it has been said time and again that the Gujarat government has acted against the PM's call for respect for women on Independence Day. Newspapers and others have expressed dismay at the PM's silence on the Gujarat government's decision. Criminals serving life sentences for heinous crimes such as rape of Bilkis, murder of her family members and villagers were granted pardons on Independence Day. There was an outcry in the country and outside: Did the Gujarat government not listen to the PM's speech at the Red Fort? Was he not talking about respect for women in his speech? What is the point of giving remission to those involved in the gang-rape and mass murder on the day of Independence? How can the PM keep silent on this injustice after all?

The PM answered all on his first visit to Gujarat, after the pardoning of the murderers and rapists, by participating in the Khadi festival and giving his speech during it. The first answer is that expecting any humanity from the PM is futile. The PM does not even have time to ridicule this expectation from such people. The second answer is that those demanding humanity or justice for Bilkis Bano are the enemies of Gujarat. They are defaming Gujarat.

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The Prime Minister said that some people had left no stone unturned to defame Gujarat. Every effort was made to discourage investment in Gujarat. But this conspiracy has been defeated. What was the context of this statement? Why was the PM reminding the people of Gujarat of the time when he was their chief minister? Who was defaming Gujarat then?

In his code language, the PM reminded his people of 2002, of the 2002 genocide. He was alluding to the worldwide criticism of his government's role in that genocide. He calls this criticism a conspiracy to defame Gujarat. However, the report of the speech published by the newspapers does not mention 2002. There is mention of the severe earthquake of 2001. There is a mention of praise by the PM for the people of Gujarat for recovering from it and standing on their feet.

After the devastating earthquake of 2001, helping hands were extended to the people of Gujarat from all over India and the world. From every corner of India, people of all kinds reached Gujarat with whatever help they could give.

Where did the talk of defaming Gujarat come from? Has anyone said that Gujarat should not be given help? Rather, to make the state stand back on its feet, many outsiders even camped in Kutch. Many people's relationship with Gujarat started after the tragedy of this earthquake and continues till now.

Also read: Bilkis Bano case convicts released on policy govt told HC to have ceased in 2014

Another tragedy happened the following year after this horrific tragedy. But it was not from the whole of Gujarat. It was a tragedy only for the Muslims of Gujarat. It must also be said that just as the earthquake shook the hearts of people outside Gujarat, so did the tragedy of 2002. Even after that, people from all over India reached Gujarat. But the relief camps they reached were different from the post-earthquake relief camps. The Muslims who had taken refuge in these camps were not treated unjustly by nature but by their neighbouring Hindu Gujaratis. And all this was done with a plan. It was not spontaneous, like the earthquake of 2001. The earthquake could not have been prevented and could not have been predicted. The carnage was predicted. It could have been prevented.

Food was needed in these camps, as in the camps after the earthquake, but more. Those wounded by the attacks of their neighbours needed treatment, and they also needed an ointment of sympathy. But another demand needed a response, the demand for justice, by people like Bilkis Bano, hundreds and thousands like her.

In 2001, the Gujarat government also extended its hand to the earthquake victims. It worked closely with those who had come from outside. The Swaminarayan sect also helped. But the government of Gujarat did not help in establishing or running the camps which had to be established there in 2002.

Those who came to these camps for shelter were, as we said, Gujaratis, but only Muslims. Why didn't the Gujarat government do what it did in 2001? Not only this. Why did the then chief minister try to instill hatred among Hindu Gujaratis against these camps by calling such camps the den of a different kind of conspiracy?

Relief camps were set up by Muslim organisations and other organisations for the people who fled from their homes and localities. Those who remember the months of March, April, and May 20 years ago know that violence against Muslims has not ended. Muslims needed protection and help for a very long time. They still do.

What was the stand of the chief minister of Gujarat then? He told his Hindu voters at that time that they could not allow terrorist-producing factories to run. In one of his speeches, the chief minister said, "What should we do? Run relief camps for them? Shall we run centres for breeding children? We five, our twenty-five!" The chief minister's public understood who was being referred to. Further, the CM said there was a queue of those who fix punctures. Those engaged in the conspiracy to increase the population needed to be taught a lesson.

Who fueled violence against the relief camps in the minds of the Hindu masses? And who broke the relief camps? One by one, those running the relief camps were threatened. Some of them were arrested. Things started getting so bad that 200 writers and artists, along with Mahasweta Devi, appealed to the Supreme Court in June 2002 to save these relief camps.

One such relief camp had Bilkis Bano sheltered. She was carrying a five-month-old child in her womb, which the chief minister of Gujarat called a conspiracy to increase the population and threatened to teach a lesson to those involved. What was to be the fate of Bilkis Bano then? Was she not part of this conspiracy?

Those who took Bilkis Bano's hand, helped her in making her voice heard by the nation and the world, and walked with her on the path of justice, they were portrayed as conspirators against Gujarat by the then chief minister of Gujarat. In a press conference on March 5, the then chief minister said, "… non-violent secular violence is being instigated (against Gujarat) by the media across India."

In 2002, there was still a soul left in the media of India. It was telling the world what was happening in Gujarat. The then chief minister of Gujarat was calling it non-violent secular violence against Gujarat. A few months later, he took out the 'Gujarat Gaurav Yatra'. He explained the reason for his determination to take out the yatra, which was that he wanted to tell the story of the glory of five crore people of the state through this yatra: "This is not the story of Godhra, Naroda Patiya, Gulbarg. Gujarat is not a state of murderers, rapists as pseudo-secular, fanatic and power-hungry Congress leaders are trying to portray."

Remember that these names are associated with the massacre of Muslims in Gujarat in 2002.

This speech was given in August 2002. Exactly 20 years ago. The person who gave this speech then, the same person, is reminding his people today of the defamation campaign in the same Gujarat. That is when, once again in the whole country, the Gujarat government is facing criticism from nearly all quarters.

It is being pointed out that those who are now speaking against the release of the criminals of violence against Bilkis Bano and are condemning the government of Gujarat are part of the same old campaign. The same gang, which was then defaming Gujarat, inciting non-violent secular violence against them, has become active now. The PM is warning his constituents on the eve of elections not to let these enemies of Gujarat succeed.

Those disappointed by the silence of the PM must understand that the prime minister is speaking, just as the chief minister of Gujarat was speaking then. He is being heard by the murderers of the three-year-old Saleha, and Saleha's mother, Bilkis Bano, is also listening to him. The meaning of the same speech is different for both.

(The writer teaches at Delhi University)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.