If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed or email alerts. Thanks for visiting!
Tehelka, the magazine that pioneered the use of sting operation (unfortunately bastardized by other media outlets) and led to other politcal exposes has now compiled an exhaustive report on the Gujarat riots. I am still wading through the various reports that give you a chilling account of what actually went down and this is entirely in the words of the people who perpetuated those crimes. Tehelka’s reporter, Ashish Khetan spent six months undercover as a pro-Hindutva researcher investigating and talking to the people who carried out the attacks against Muslims. The revelations are mind-numbing and make you shake your head in disbelief and horror to the extent man can fall in causing harm to his fellow beings. So much for being civilized and be considered as a country of ‘rich and varied heritage’.
Although Tehelka’s political leanings are well known, the truth so evident on videotape cannot be denied. Even if the sting operation was politically motivated and financed by Modi’s opposition (which I doubt it is), the people interviewed were in no way coerced into revealing all. I also fail to see any sense in the allegation that this expose was times to coincide with the Gujarat elections. If you know, the previous elections were also contested on the back of this riots leading many Hindus to vote for the BJP under the false pretense that only they could save them from the marauding Muslims. So do you think reminding the electorate of those days in addition to the economic success enjoyed by Gujarat is going to affect Modi’s chances? Elections in India can be driven primarily by local issues hence the dominance of several regional parties. The rationality of the voter can be a myth and the calling out to the moral sentiments of the people never works if it had benefited the people in the first place. How I wish that such politicans be voted out of power and reduced to obscurity. That, indeed would be Modi’s greatest punishment.
The other allegation of not focusing on Congress’s role in the 1984 riots is misplaced. Of course, that was an equally heinous incident and the culprits should be punished but that doesn’t make the actions of the Modi administration any justifiable. And if indeed the administration believes it has done nothing wrong or morally reprehensible, why has it muzzled the TV channels from showing the Tehelka tapes? [via Sepia Mutiny] I am surprised that such a thing can happen in a so-called democratic India.
As far as the allegation of why Gujarat and why not <insert any act of terrorism> goes, I don’t think anyone has ever stopped those individuals or any other media outlet from investigating other acts of terrorism. If Tehelka investigates Gujarat, you are free to investigate Kashmir, Delhi 1984, Bombay blasts 1993, and the more recent Hyderabad blasts 2007. More the merrier, right? Go and steal Tehelka’s thunder. We have plenty of acts of terror going around (unfortunately) to keep everyone busy for a long time.
Rohit at Retributions rightly calls for Modi’s ouster on the grounds that he has failed his moral and constitutional obligations. Modi, as evident in a recent Karan Thapar interview refuses to face the allegations and dodges direct questions pertaining to the 2002 riots. Resorting to the economic progress that the state has made in recent times should not keep us from asking about 2002 because in the end, morality and ethics are the only things that separates us from the beasts. Given the actions, I think even that comparison is woefully inadequate. I hope the Nanavati Commission investigating the riots takes this report into consideration before giving out their judgment.
Modi may ultimate retain power in Gujarat but I’m glad that Tehelka conducted this investigation. I was beginning to lose hope in the investigative abilities of the Indian media given their proclivities for frivolous news and penchant for taking credit where none is due. Now it is up to the people to consider the investigative reports and take action.
by Patrix | on Friday, October 26th, 2007 at 2:45 pm | 
Current Affairs, India, Media . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.
October 27th, 2007 at 1:22 am reply
Patrix,
I’m not sure whether the Tehelka way is the way to go as far as “investigative” journalism goes. If I read the post-sting situation correctly; the pro-Modi people are just as pro-Modi, and the anti-Modi people are just as anti. Not sure if this is going to swing public opinion any more than it already did/has.
It’s not as if investigative journalism didn’t exist before Tejpal & Co came along with their spycams. The most impactful cases, to this day, are Chitra Subramaniam on Bofors and Arun Shourie’s during his Indian Express days.
October 27th, 2007 at 5:23 am reply
[...] Patrix ridicules charges that the Tehelka investigation is politically motivated and hence suspect: As far as the allegation of why Gujarat and why not <insert any act of terrorism> goes, I don’t think anyone has ever stopped those individuals or any other media outlet from investigating other acts of terrorism. If Tehelka investigates Gujarat, you are free to investigate Kashmir, Delhi 1984, Bombay blasts 1993, and the more recent Hyderabad blasts 2007. More the merrier, right? Go and steal Tehelka’s thunder. We have plenty of acts of terror going around (unfortunately) to keep everyone busy for a long time. [...]
October 27th, 2007 at 9:26 am reply
“why has it muzzled the TV channels from showing the Tehelka tapes? [via Sepia Mutiny] I am surprised that such a thing can happen in a so-called democratic India.”
–And if such reports are telecast and there is communal violence in Abad, Baroda and other places, would we then start the blaming that they didn’t take pro-active steps to curb the violence by not showing such sensitive stuff in the first place? Think about it.
I lived a better part of my life in Gujarat, and it is always surprising to read that most of these opinions about Modi (esp Anti-Modi) seem to stem out of ppl who have never lived in Gujarat, but form an opinion out of the media. As far as matter of blocking such news reports in Gujarat goes, I think it was an EXCELLENT decision by Modi to do so. Doing otherwise would have been a sure shot bloddy communal carnage in Abad and other places. (
What most people don’t get or understand is communal violence in Gujarat has always been a political pawn. By blocking the channel, Modi has effectively blocked any attempts by Congress and their cronies to start a hindu-muslim riot and then spoil Gujarat’s name.
Things are hardly, heck, even remotely as bad as news channels make it sound for Gujarat. Its probably one of the safest places in India in my opinion, and I have lived in way too many cities.
Coming to Tehelka, when did they start being taken seriously?
Some of Modi’s policies I agree borderline dictatorial, but I would vote for him any day to be the CM of Gujarat again - heck, if he were to stand for PM, I would vote for him. He’s fearless, and he does his work without caring for much around him. Its not without a reason he keeps getting re-elected again and again, and maintains a image within the gujarati elitists :)
Here a thing: If those riots were prevented, how many of us would be complaining that Modi didn’t do anything about it and how we Hindus are being held hostages in our own country :D - think abt it. Don’t we say that to our PM who has done zilch to capture anybody responsible for the Delhi blasts, Hyderabad blasts and numerous others?
Sorry, had to put my 0.02$ - I am really getting tired of this Anti-Modi rant, 95% of which is completely based on news media.
S
October 27th, 2007 at 12:03 pm reply
Nitin, I’m sure that the Indian media is capable of much more and serious investigative journalism. Except it hasn’t been doing much lately. Note that your examples of Bofors are already 20 years old. We just need to see more such efforts and currently Tehelka’s ’sting operations’ are the only way.
Admittedly, the people’s opinions post-report haven’t changed and perhaps because the report merely offered detailed proof regarding events that most knew already to be true. The support on either sides is ideological and I don’t see it changing even if we see a photo of Modi eating puppies. His supporters will find a way to justify that.
Supremus, we certainly beg to differ on this. Trust me, I believed in exactly what you are saying not so long ago. I will admit even believing and saying what you mentioned - “Hindus are being held hostages in our own country.” But this cannot be a sane and rational line of thinking otherwise it simply begets more bloodshed and thirst for revenge. Modi’s characterization in the media wasn’t pre-determined but came about only post-2002, right? It may have been overblown as you claim, but then it can also be true and vastly underreported.
If your solution is to silence everyone in fear of communal tension then we can never see or listen to anything. We as a nation have a reputation of getting easily offended and violence is considered justifiable for those hurt sentiments. When the government begins punishing acts of violence to the fullest extent of the law (yeah right! I know), you’ll see less sentiments being offended.
You admit Modi is dictatorial but you still would go with him. This might be because he is not any harm to ‘your kind’…yet. Ultimately, it isn’t ideology or anything deep that directs action of such people but it is simply need for power. If your ‘kind’ is expendable and in the way, you would taken care of too. At the end, it is a matter of principle if we really want such people to represent our interests.
October 28th, 2007 at 4:49 am reply
[...] a couple of ‘Pundits too: Patrix and [...]
October 28th, 2007 at 11:44 am reply
What a mind-numbingly retarded statement! So, are you justifying the murder of Indian citizens because of a misplaced sense of justice? Do you really not comprehend the difference between bringing the perpetrators of Godhra to justice and murdering citizens because of their religious preferences?
October 29th, 2007 at 7:35 am reply
Sadly this morning (Monday) not one English language newspaper had anything major as follow up — the TV channels are full of the Sensex reaching 20,000.
There seems to be a conspiracy of silence on this….maybe the feeling is that people don’t want to see or read this in the news.
Just look at the reactions on MSM like rediff and you will be as sickened as I was when i saw the Tehelka tapes and read the transcripts…..
Unless some - if not all perpetrators face justice and go to jail …. this is just going to be another ‘yesterday’s news’
October 29th, 2007 at 1:42 pm reply
Harini, it is already ‘yesterday’s news’ and going by some reactions I got from talking to people in India, it wasn’t even news.
October 30th, 2007 at 4:23 am reply
Sadly, you are right — the bulk of the reaction was — kyon kar rahen hai …. yeh toh sabko pata tha….and of course the discussion was more on the ethics of sting, than the brutality and glee with which people killed other people…
October 30th, 2007 at 10:45 am reply
thanks patrix, i added your article’s credit in my post while quoted from you.