Tunnel Vision

Meanwhile, although Modi deferred the much-awaited decision on the dissolution of the Gujarat assembly (which was expected to be announced at the cabinet meeting), state BJP leaders say they are still keen to go in for early polls. The state unit is clear that only if the polls are held immediately will the party be able to reap the benefits of a communally polarised Gujarat. "We should strike when the iron is hot. If elections are held in early June, we should be able to win 150 of the 182 seats in the assembly. At this point, Modi is a hero in Gujarat," says a senior BJP leader. "All the surveys show that our party will perform extremely well if elections are held now," echoes state BJP chief Rajendrasinh Rana.

The party is worried that if the polls are delayed too long, then other pressing issues will outweigh the Hindu card. Already, there are ominous signs of a deepening water crisis in the state, especially in the districts of Saurashtra, north Gujarat and Panchmahals. Also, the 2,500-MW power shortage in the state has affected both agriculture and industry. The state is also reeling under a severe economic crisis, brought on by the crippling of the financial and industrial sectors during the riots.

Although the government insists that rehabilitation of riot victims is under way, it does not appear to be very high on the CM’s agenda. Indeed, in last week’s cabinet meeting on April 17, the issue was not even discussed. Instead, Modi focused on housing for MLAS and MPs. The cabinet spent much of its time clearing the allotment of prime plots of land in Gandhinagar to MPs and mlas at bargain rates. The government spokesperson’s spin was that the secretaries were keeping track of the rehabilitation process. But the signals that the meeting sent out were that those administering the state were unconcerned about the plight of people living in the camps.

In fact, despite the assurances there is little to suggest that Modi is serious. He is yet to apply any sort of ‘healing touch’, the least expected of him as head of the government. He has made no attempts to reach out to the victims of the carnage and, obviously, with the CM himself seen as to be not very interested, the rest of the official machinery follows suit. According to local leaders, Modi is yet to visit some of the camps where living conditions are deplorable. Ironically, his only visit to the camps was when he accompanied the prime minister.

Just how far removed normalcy is from Ahmedabad is reflected in the fact that curfew still continues—after a renewed bout of riots broke out on April 14. Three people were killed in police firing and violence was reported in the volatile walled city areas of Dariapur, Madhavpura, Kalupur and Shahpur. On April 16, retaliatory violence against Hindus resulted in the death of two VHP workers. The Veljapur and Ramol areas also saw incidents of violence and the army had to be deployed once again in the city. A third VHP leader, Ashwin Raval, whose mother had been killed in the Godhra carnage, succumbed the next day. His funeral procession through the city on April 17 further increased tensions.

In areas like the Mariambibi ki Chaali in Gomtipur, which was under attack by mobs that day, the mood is bleak. "This is the fifth time our area has been attacked since the riots began. When will it end?" asks Aneesbano Mansoorali, who says that even the relief camps in the area are not safe since they too are frequently attacked. Families in many of the city’s camps have been unsuccessfully trying to return to their homes. "We keep going back but our neighbours jeer at us and we are forced to come back to the camp," says Saira Bano, who is among the 3,000 people who have been forced to take shelter at Char Toda Kabrastan, a graveyard in Gomtipur.

so even as the BJP weighs the benefits of early elections, Gujarat continues to simmer. The fear of further attacks is so pronounced that not many dare venture out of the relief camps or the ghettos. Muslim students in the thousands boycotted the SSC and HSC exams on April 18. The smooth conduct of the exams—which had already been postponed once—had become a prestige issue for the Modi government and was seen as a barometer of calm in the city. But despite promises of heightened security, most Muslim students chose to stay home since their exam centres had not been shifted from Hindu-dominated areas. The ones who did attend, had to go with police escorts. An attack by mobs on three schools in the city on April 15 had heightened fears within the community. However, the government claims that the turnout of Muslim students was near total.

Among those who boycotted the SSC exam is Sajja Pinjara, who lives in the notorious Dilli Chakla area. "I haven’t been able to leave the house since the riots began. Almost every day, there is some trouble. How do they expect us to take exams in areas surrounded by Hindu homes? As it is, we can’t expect the police to help us," he says. Sajja’s earlier foray to his exam centre a week ago had not ended well. "I had gone to check if the centre was being changed and suddenly a huge mob came towards me and started throwing stones. I was hit on the leg but kept running. Luckily, someone pulled me into his house," says the young boy.

Some like Belim Mohsin and his classmate Imran Shaikh made their way to the government bus which was to take them to the hsc examination centre on April 18, but backed out when they found that it had no security guards. "I don’t want to risk my life going to that centre without security," Belim says with fear in his eyes. On April 15, their centre located at the H.B. Kapadia High School was attacked by a mob of about 1,000 people, when secondary school examinations were on. Two teachers were injured in the incident.

With no sign of communal tensions receding, there is a body of opinion which says that fears, rumours and insecurity would continue to haunt the state unless real normalcy is restored. The chances of that happening looks difficult right now. With the government more preoccupied with holding early elections and Modi holding on to his chair with the Centre’s support, the conditions of the riot victims is the last thing on anyone’s mind.