The Truth: Gujarat 2002: Arvind Pandya
Duration: 00:08:24; Aspect Ratio: 1.333:1; Hue: 68.437; Saturation: 0.015; Lightness: 0.281; Volume: 0.183; Cuts per Minute: 1.189; Words per Minute: 52.419
Summary: The Truth is an investigative report based on Tehelka's sting operation on key sangh members who are seen describing the events and consequences of 2002 Gujrat pogrom.
Arvind Pandya: [The Muslims of Godhra] thought they could get away with it because the Gujarati is mild by nature. In the past, they had beaten the Gujarati, they have even beaten the entire world, and nobody has shown any courage…
Nobody had ever resisted them… They thought they’d get away with it just like they always do, but they used to get away with it because there was Congress rule here earlier… To get their votes, the Congress would suppress Gujaratis and Hindus
But this time, they were thrashed… It is Hindu rule now… All of Gujarat is ruled by Hindus, and that too from the VHP and the BJP…
TEHELKA: They miscalculated…
Pandya: No, what would have happened… If it were a Congress government, then they would have never allowed Hindus to beat Muslims, they would have used their administrative force just to drag the Hindus down.
They never stop [Muslims] from violence… They’ll tell Hindus to maintain peace but will never do anything to touch them [Muslims]. They would never have done anything, even in cases like [Godhra], but in this case, there was a Hindu-based government and… so, people were ready and the state was also ready… This is a good connivance [sic].
TEHELKA: Sir, is it true that when Modi went to Godhra on February 27, that VHP workers attacked him?
Pandya: No, they didn’t. It’s like this… There are 58 bodies… and it’s evening… people are bound to say,
what have you done…
TEHELKA: From 8 in the morning till evening, he didn’t land up… So, when things got heated, then Modi ji got angry and he…
Pandya: No it’s not like that… Modi’s been on our line for a long time… Forget that matter… But he’s occupying a post, so naturally there are more limitations… and he has quite a few… It is he who gave all signals in favour of the Hindus… If the ruler is hard, then things can start happening…
TEHELKA: Did you meet… Narendra Modi after he returned from Godhra on the 27th?
Pandya: No, I will not answer queries on this… I shouldn’t…
TEHELKA: Sir, I want to know what was his first reaction?
Pandya: When Narendra Modi first heard it over the phone, his blood was boiling… Tell me, what else do I say… I’ve given you some hints and I can’t reveal more than that… nor should I say it…
TEHELKA: I wanted to know this… what his first reaction was…
Pandya: No, his reaction was like this: if he were not a minister, he would have burst bombs… If he had the capacity and was not a minister he would have detonated a few bombs in Juhapura [a Muslimdominated locality in Ahmedabad].
Pad.ma requires JavaScript.
