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India Opposition Leader Will Not Be Charged Over Riots Victory, and Setback, for Indian Opposition Leader
(about 5 hours later)
NEW DELHI — The fiery leader of India’s leading opposition party, a man labeled a mass murderer by some and a potential savior by others, won a victory Thursday in one of the many controversies dogging him as he seeks to become India’s next prime minister, but faced a setback in another. NEW DELHI — The fiery head of India’s leading opposition party, who remains under pressure for his handling of an ethnic riot 11 years ago, won a victory on Thursday in one of the many disputes dogging him as he seeks to become India’s next prime minister, but faced a setback in another.
An Indian court rejected a petition seeking the prosecution of opposition leader, Narendra Modi, head of the Bharatiya Janata Party, for his role in riots in his home state, Gujarat, in 2002 that killed more than 1,000 people, largely Muslims. An Indian court rejected a petition seeking the prosecution of the opposition leader, Narendra Modi, the head of the Bharatiya Janata Party, over his role in riots in his home state, Gujarat, in 2002 that killed more than 1,000 people, most of them Muslims.
But the government ordered a formal investigation into allegations that Mr. Modi’s top lieutenant, using state intelligence and security officers, oversaw wide-ranging surveillance of an Indian woman on behalf of Mr. Modi. But the government ordered a formal investigation into allegations that Mr. Modi’s top lieutenant, using state intelligence and security officers, oversaw wide-ranging surveillance of a woman on behalf of Mr. Modi.
Top members of Mr. Modi’s party hailed the court decision, but denounced the government-ordered investigation as a politically motivated witch hunt.Top members of Mr. Modi’s party hailed the court decision, but denounced the government-ordered investigation as a politically motivated witch hunt.
In response to the court judgment, Arun Jaitley, the leader of the opposition in the upper house of Parliament, said in a Twitter post, “The verdict has proved that propaganda can never be a substitute for truth.” But after the government’s announcement of the spying investigation, he told reporters, “This action is politically motivated.” In response to the court judgment, Arun Jaitley, the leader of the opposition in the upper house of Parliament, said on Twitter, “The verdict has proved that propaganda can never be a substitute for truth.” But after the government’s announcement of the spying investigation, he told reporters, “This action is politically motivated.”
The petition seeking Mr. Modi’s prosecution was filed by Zakia Jafri, the widow of Ehsan Jafri, a Muslim lawmaker in the governing Indian National Congress party who was among 69 killed — some burned alive — during the riots when a Hindu mob attacked a Muslim enclave in the city of Ahmedabad.The petition seeking Mr. Modi’s prosecution was filed by Zakia Jafri, the widow of Ehsan Jafri, a Muslim lawmaker in the governing Indian National Congress party who was among 69 killed — some burned alive — during the riots when a Hindu mob attacked a Muslim enclave in the city of Ahmedabad.
Neither case is likely to derail Mr. Modi’s growing popularity in India, since his tough-guy image is a big part of his appeal. But taken together, the cases demonstrate why he may be the most controversial politician in India’s history. Neither case is likely to derail Mr. Modi’s growing popularity in India, since his tough-guy image is a big part of his appeal. Yet taken together, the cases demonstrate why he is a deeply divisive figure.
The most serious allegations against Mr. Modi concern the 2002 riots, which began in February of that year after Muslims set fire to a train carrying Hindu pilgrims who were returning from a visit to a shrine. Fifty-nine Hindus were burned alive.The most serious allegations against Mr. Modi concern the 2002 riots, which began in February of that year after Muslims set fire to a train carrying Hindu pilgrims who were returning from a visit to a shrine. Fifty-nine Hindus were burned alive.
In the days following the train attack, riots rippled across Gujarat, in western India, fed by a strike called by Hindu groups and encouraged by some of Mr. Modi’s close associates. Initial investigations by Gujarat authorities were so suspiciously incompetent that the Indian Supreme Court ordered special police units to redo the investigations, which eventually resulted in hundreds of convictions.In the days following the train attack, riots rippled across Gujarat, in western India, fed by a strike called by Hindu groups and encouraged by some of Mr. Modi’s close associates. Initial investigations by Gujarat authorities were so suspiciously incompetent that the Indian Supreme Court ordered special police units to redo the investigations, which eventually resulted in hundreds of convictions.
Ms. Jafri claimed that Mr. Modi, a Hindu and chief minister of Gujarat, was criminally negligent and complicit in neglecting to quell the riots. A judge in Gujarat rejected that argument Thursday. Ms. Jafri claimed that Mr. Modi, a Hindu and chief minister of Gujarat, was criminally negligent and complicit in neglecting to quell the riots. A judge in Gujarat rejected that argument on Thursday.
Ms. Jafri said she was disappointed in the ruling. “I won’t give up the fight,” she told reporters. “I will appeal the verdict to a higher court.”Ms. Jafri said she was disappointed in the ruling. “I won’t give up the fight,” she told reporters. “I will appeal the verdict to a higher court.”
“Truth alone triumphs,” Mr. Modi responded on Twitter.“Truth alone triumphs,” Mr. Modi responded on Twitter.
The spying allegations are more sordid but less serious. They came to light after transcripts of conversations between a top Modi aide and police officers were published by a website that said it had received the recordings from a Gujarat police officer, G. L. Singhal, who is accused of participating in targeted assassinations and is now cooperating with authorities. The spying allegations are more sordid but less serious. They came to light after transcripts of conversations between a top Modi aide and police officers were published by a website that said it had received the recordings from a Gujarat police officer, G. L. Singhal, who is accused of participating in assassinations and is now cooperating with authorities.
Some of the transcripts are comical, as when Officer Singhal reports disapprovingly that the woman, who has not been officially identified, “talks very rudely with her mother.”Some of the transcripts are comical, as when Officer Singhal reports disapprovingly that the woman, who has not been officially identified, “talks very rudely with her mother.”
Mr. Modi’s supporters initially conceded that state resources were used to keep track of the woman’s contacts with men, but justified the operation by saying that her father had requested it. More recently, officials of his party have suggested that the recordings were faked.Mr. Modi’s supporters initially conceded that state resources were used to keep track of the woman’s contacts with men, but justified the operation by saying that her father had requested it. More recently, officials of his party have suggested that the recordings were faked.
Rajnath Singh, president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, dismissed the investigation as government harassment. “Narendra Modi will not come under pressure,” Mr. Singh said.Rajnath Singh, president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, dismissed the investigation as government harassment. “Narendra Modi will not come under pressure,” Mr. Singh said.
But Digvijay Singh, a leader of the governing Congress party and no relation to Rajnath Singh, welcomed the investigation into what he termed an obvious violation of wiretapping laws. “This should have happened much earlier,” Mr. Singh said. But Digvijay Singh, a leader of the governing Congress party and no relation to Rajnath Singh, welcomed the investigation into what he called an obvious violation of wiretapping laws. “This should have happened much earlier,” Mr. Singh said.