www.sacw.net | March 24, 2005

Text of citizens statement re the Indian Prime minister's comments in the Rajya Sabha following refusal of US Visa to Narendra Modi

We express our shock and anger at the stand taken by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in the Rajya Sabha on the issue of refusal of visa to Mr. Narendra Modi by the USA. He has said that it is not proper for any agency to form its opinion on the role of Sh. Modi in the 2002 Gujarat genocide based on mere allegations. Sh. Singh needs to be reminded that it was the NHRC which had castigated Mr. Modi and his state government for having aided and abetted the act of genocide of Muslims in Gujarat in 2002, and it was the SUPreme Court of India that had opined that the Modi government cannot be relied UPon to bring about justice to the victims of the carnage. More than 50 national and international agencies of high credibility with their painstaking investigation had held Mr. Modi directly responsible for the act of genocide. The Prime Minister needs to come clean on this issue. Does he hold a considered opinion that the observations made by the NHRC and the Supreme Court of India are to be treated with contempt as shown by him in his Rajya Sabha speech?

Mr. Modi's policies of hatred should not be legitimised even by association. Mr. Modi is no ordinary elected leader. He has become infamous for his active abetment in the most brutal massacre since India became free, of a segment of the citizens of his state. His notoriety has deepened in the past 3 years because he remains completely unrepentant for these crimes, including the mass slaughter and rape of hundreds of innocent women and children, and instead has openly fought elections from a platform of hate. He has deliberately subverted the process of justice, that have attracted unprecedented structure from the Supreme Court of India.

We continue - to harbour grave disquiet about the militaristic and chauvinistic policies of the current US government itself, most notably in Afghanistan and Iraq. George Bush and his cohorts cannot be the arbiters of human rights.

We commend the untiring efforts of NRIs and human rights activists in the US and in India who mobilized public opinion and pressurized the US administration which led to the denial of Modi's visa. For those who claim that the international community has no role to play in the Gujarat carnage since it is a matter internal to the Indian nation, we would like to remind them that by the same logic, the entire world should have remained a mute spectator as millions of Jews were imprisoned and executed in concentration camps by the Nazi government. For those who claim that any insult to any elected official is an insult to the entire nation, we would like to remind them that Hitler, who is reviled even today, was also an elected official. There is nothing more insulting to the Indian nation than the pogroms that took place in Gujarat, and the fact that their main architect, Sh Narendra Modi, still continues to enjoy the powers and privileges of the Chief Minister in that state, while the Prime Minister of the country rushes to his defence.

It is a matter of great shame that even 10 months after having assumed power the UPA government has done nothing to ensure justice to the victims of Gujarat genocide. It has taken no steps to instill a sense of security and confidence among the displaced, raped, and maimed minorities of Gujarat who have been left to fend for themselves. No financial and legal aid has been arranged by the Central government for them and it is treating the whole Gujarat genocide as a routine state matter.

The statement by Dr. Manmohan Singh adds insult to the injury suffered by the Genocide victims of Gujarat, and is an affront to those NRIs and human rights activists in the US whose unflagging pressure on the US administration resulted in the denial of Mr. Modi's visa. That Dr. Singh should feel compelled to come out openly to speak for an organizer of mass murder who feels no remorse for his role shows that Dr. Singh has lost all sense of propriety. The statement also shows that the government wants to remain neutral on the question of communalism.

We, as people who are committed to secularism and human rights in India, feel betrayed and would like to take this opportunity to express our sense of despair that the political formation which is in power at the centre lacks any sense of moral responsibility and moral courage.

On behalf of the dead and living victims of Gujarat genocide and on behalf of the sections of civil society which have worked for the defeat of the communal forces we demand an apology from Dr. Manmohan Singh for having humiliated the wronged citizens of India by issuing a highly insensitive and irresponsible statement defending Mr. Narendra Modi.
March 21, 2005

Released by
Shabnam Hashmi - ANHAD, Delhi <anhad_delhi@yahoo.co.in>>

On behalf of:

1. Aamir Khan- Actor, Mumbai
2. Aditya-Ceo, Ekgaon Technologies
3. Admiral Ramu Ramdas- Member, National Integration Council
4. Adv. Aradhana Bhargava- Mahatama Gandhi Sansthan, Madhya Pradesh
5. Adv. Rajendra K. Sail-Pucl, Chattisgarh
6. Agnesh Murmu-Gram Sabha Seva Sansthan,Jharkhand
7. Ajeet Caur, Writer, Delhi
8. Ajit Kumar-Arise, Aurangabad
9. Akshay Sail -Rcdrc, Raipur
10. Alladi Sitaram-Emeritus Professor, Indian Statistical Institute
11. Allwyn D' Silva- Documentation Research And Training Centre,Mumbai
12. Amal Charles -,Step, Secundrabad
13. Amar Farooqui- Reader, History Dept, Delhi University, Delhi
14. Amar Jyoti- Activist, Chennai
15. Amita & BCF Team
16. Amrit Gangar-Film Critic, Curator,Mumbai
17. Amrita Chhachhi, Delhi
18. Anand Kumar- Ncdhr
19. Anand Patwardhan-Film Maker, Mumbai
20. Anant Krishna-Researcher, Hyderabad
21. Aneesh Pradhan-Musician, Mumbai
22. Angana Chatterji-Professor of Anthropology, San Francisco, USA
23. Anil Chaudhary-Indian Social Action Forum, Delhi
24. Anjum Rajabali-Script Writer, Mumbai
25. Anu Chenoy- Academician,JNU
26. Anup Sanda- National Alliance of People's Movements, Sultanpur, UP
27. Anurag Chaturvedi-Journalist, Mumbai
28. Anwar Ahmad
29. Apoorvanand- Reader, Delhi University
30. Aradhana Seth- Vienna. Austria.
31. Arjun Dev- Historian, Delhi
32. Arpana Caur- Painter, Delhi
33. Arundhati Dhuru - National Alliance of People's Movements, Lucknow, UP
34. Arvind Krishnaswamy- Insaaniyat, Mumbai
35. Arvind Kumar- National Alliance of People's Movements, Mau , UP
36. Ashis Nandy-CSDS, Delhi
37. Ashish Garg- Regional Coordinator-India, World Links, New Delhi
38. Ashok Kumar Dalai-Maitree Samaj, Orissa
39. Ashok Vajpeyi, Writer, Delhi
40. B.Mahesh
41. Bhashwati- Activist, Hyderabad
42. Bishakha Datta-Documentary Filmmaker And Writer, Mumbai
43. Cedric Prakash - Director, Prashant(Centre For Human Rights Justice And Peace, Gujarat
44. Chandita Mukherjee-Film Maker, Mumbai
45. Chitra Singh- Animal Rights Activist, Bhopal
46. Chitranjan Singh-PUCL, Allahabad
47. Colin Gonsalves-Human Rights Law Network
48. Damini Tiwari- Student, Mumbai
49. Dayamani Barla -Freelance Journalist, Jharkhand
50. Deepak Singh-Managing Director - Iram, Executive Member - I-Congo (Indian Confederation Of NGOs)
51. Digant Oza- Senior Journalist, Ahmedabad
52. Dilip Kumar- Veteran Film Actor, Mumbai
53. Dilip Simeon-Academician, Delhi University
54. Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan- Editor, The Milli Gazette Newspaper, New Delhi
55. Dr. Amar Jesani- Medico Friend Circle, Forum For Medical Ethics Society, Mumbai
56. Dr. Seema Parveen-Institute of Social Sciences, Lucknow
57. Dr. Umakant-Ncdhr
58. Dr. Virendra Vidrohi -MMSVS, Rajasthan
59. Dr.Saroop Dhruv -,Darshan , Ahmedabad
60. Farah Naqvi- Independant Writer And Activist, Delhi
61. Farida Khan
62. Firozkhan Pathan-Dallas, Taxes, USA
63. Francis Parmar, Principal, St Xaviers College, Ahmedabad
64. Gauhar Raza-Documentary Film Maker, Poet, Delhi
65. Gorakshnath Dhanwate-Prerna Krida Mandal, Maharashtra
66. Govind Singh Mahra-Uttarakhand Van Panchayat,Sarpanch Sangathan,Uttranchal
67. Harsh Kapoor-South Asia Citizens Web, France
68. Harsh Mander-Writer, Social Activist, Delhi
69. Hema B.Rajashekhar
70. Hemant Tiwari, Uttranchal
71. Henri Tiphange, People's Watch, Chennai
72. Hiren Gandhi,Theatre, Samvedan Cultural Programme, Ahmedabad
73. Hyder Khan, Chairman, Supporters Of Human Rights In India (SHRI), Minneapolis
74. I.M.Bhana
75. Imtiazuddin- Exec Dir, Coalition For A Secular And Democratic India, Chicago
76. Indira Arjun Dev-Acaedemician, Delhi
77. Irfan Ahmed ,Lok Manch, Aurangabad
78. Irfan Habib-Historian, Delhi
79. Jaba Menon- One Worldnet, Delhi
80. Janette Sunita- Tarshi, Delhi
81. Jaswinder Singh Mand, Journalist, Nawa Zamana, Jallandhar
82. Javed Akhtar-Lyricist, Mumbai
83. Jawed Naqvi-Journalist, Delhi
84. Jaya Sharma
85. Juli Queen Mary Selvakumar,-Arise, Tamil Nadu
86. Jyoti Bose, Principal, Springdales School, Delhi
87. K. L. Moyo -Save The River Movement, Nagaland
88. K.N.Sasi -Vaikom, Kerela
89. Kabir Vajpeyi-
90. Kalamani-
91. Kalyani Upendranath Baske-Nagpur Diocesan Dev. Assn. (Ndda), Maharashtra
92. Kamal Mitra Chenoy- Professor, JNU
93. Kandala Singh- Youth For Peace
94. Karthik Bezawada,Principal, Crictv Llc
95. Karuppan-
96. Khalid Azam-Coalition Against Genocide, USA
97. Kiran Shaeen- Head Communication, New Delhi
98. KN Panikkar-Academician, Trivendrum
99. Lahrc, Surat
100. Lalit Babar- Dalit Activist, Mumbai
101. Lalita Ramdas-Activist, Maharashtra
102. Laxmaiah of CDS
103. M. J. Jose-Dawn Trust . Kerela
104. M.Mandal-Activist, Hyderabad
105. Mahesh - National Alliance Of People's Movements, Lucknow
106. Mahesh Bhatt, Producer & Director
107. Manas Jena- Development Initiative, Orissa
108. Manasa Patnam-Youth Forpeace
109. Manjula Sen-Freelance Journalist, Mumbai
110. Manoj Kumar- Belgium
111. Mansi Sharma-Anhad
112. Marry E.John-Women's Studies Programme, JNU
113. Martin J Shah- Prog Officer, RUPcha, Delhi
114. Martin Macwan- Navsarjan, Gujarat
115. Meera Velayudhan-Utthan
116. Mitu Pati-Suprabat, Orissa
117. Molana Hanif -,Mewat Vikas Shiksha Samiti, Rajasthan
118. Mouttoucannou , PUCL, Kerela
119. Moyna Manku-Youth For Peace, Hyderabad
120. Mrinalini Tiwari, Student, Mumbai
121. Mukul Dube, Free Lance Writer, Delhi
122. Mukundan C. Menon,Secretary General,(CHRO)
123. N.D.Pancholi- The Amiya & B.G.Rao Foundation, New Delhi
124. Nafisa Ali, Actress, Activist, Delhi
125. Nandita Das-Actress, Delhi
126. Nandlal Master- National Alliance Of People's Movements, Varanasi
127. Nanjundaiah,Nisarga Foundation, Mysore
128. Nasirriddin Haider Khan,
129. Naveen Siromoni,Creative Director,Karpediem Design Pvt Ltd
130. Neha Patel, TARSHI, Delhi
131. Osama Manzar- Director, Digital Empowerment Foundation
132. P. Joseph Victor Raj,Holistic Approach For People'S Empowerment,Hope, Pondicherry
133. Paul Divakar, NCDHR, Hyderabad
134. PD John- Policy Institute, Washington DC
135. Prabha,-Tarshi, Delhi
136. Praful Bidwai, Senior Journalist, Delhi
137. Pramila Loomba- Vice President, NFIW, Delhi
138. Prashant Bhushan-Advocate Supreme Court, Delhi
139. Praveen Mote,Samatha, Hyderabad
140. Priti Verma- Human Rights Law Network
141. Prof. Dipankar Home,Dept. of Physics, Bose Institute, Kolkata
142. Ra Ravishankar, University of Illinois
143. Ra Ravishankar, University of Illinois, USA/St1:Country-Region>
144. Raghu Tiwari ,Aman
145. Rahul Ram, Singer
146. Rajim Tandi,Mukti - Niketan, Chattisgarh
147. Ram Kumar-
148. Ram Punyani, Ekta, Mumbai
149. Ramesh Ali Beasant , Ambedkar Lohia Vichar Manch , Cuttack
150. Reuban Raj-Center For Education & Social Services, Madurai
151. Rish Raj Singh, Entrepreneur, Bhopal
152. Ruchira Gupta, Executive Director,Apne Aap Women Worldwide
153. Ruth Manorma- Dalit Activists, Tamil Nadu
154. S Faizi, Environmentalist, Thiruvananthapuram
Dr. Henry Thiagaraj, Managing Trustee, Dalit Liberation Education Trust & Founder Of Human Rights Education Movement
155. S K Thorat- International Institute of Dalit Studies
156. S. Sreekant, Deed - Development Through Education, Karnataka
157. Saeed Patel, NRI-SAHI
158. Sahir Raza-Youth For Peace
159. Sameer Singh, Media Planner
160. Sandeep Pandey- National Alliance of People's Movements, Lucknow, UP
161. Sangram Keshari Mallik,Manav Adhikar, Orissa
162. Sanjay Singh- National Alliance of People's Movements, Sutanpur, UP
163. Sarup Dhruv -Theatre, Darshan, Ahmedabad
Utkarsh Kumar Sinha-Ccrs (Centre For Contemporary Research & Studies), Lucknow
164. Sarup Dhruv, Darshan, Ahmedabad
165. Sehba Farooqui- Gen-Sec, National Federation Of Indian Women (NFIW), Delhi
166. Shabnam Hashmi -Social Activist, Member, National Integration Council,Delhi
167. Shalini Gera-Activist, USA
168. Shamanthaka David,Cord, Karnataka
169. Sharda, Deed, Karnataka
170. Sheba George, SAHR WARU
171. Shekhar,Samvad, Jharkhand
172. Shiamala Baby ,Forum For Women's Rights & Development (Forword), Chennai
173. Shibi Peter,Youth Institute For Leadership Training, CSI Youth, Kerela
174. Shivali, University of Illinois,USA
175. Shoba Ramachandran, Books For Change, Bangalore
176. Shubha Mudgal, Musician, Delhi
177. Snehaprabha Mallick,Sc - St Village Welfare Dev. Yojana, Orissa
178. Sofia Khan, Advocate, Ahmedabad
179. Sohail Hashmi, Documentary Filmmaker
180. Sonia Jabber, Film Maker, Delhi
181. SP Udayakumar, South Asian Community Centre For Education And Research, Nagercoil
182. Stalin K., Filmmaker.
183. Subhendu Bhadra- Promise of India
184. Sujata Tiwari, Anticounterfieting, Mumbai
185. Suma Josson, Mumbai
186. Sunil Deshmukh36 Northwind Drstamford, Connecticut, USA 06903
187. Sunil Kumar Singh , Lok Manch, Aurangabad
188. Suresh Wasnik,Peace - Peoples Education Association For Community And Environment, Karnataka
189. Swami Agnivesh
190. T.Jayaraman, Scientist, TIFR
191. Tarun Tejpal, Tehelka, Delhi
192. Than Singh
193. Thomas Pallithanam
194. Tk Ramachandran-Kerala
195. U. Radha Priyadarshini, Sabala, Kurnool
196. Uma Ashish Nandi
197. Vijay Pratap Singh , Social Activist, Delhi
198. Vimal Thorat, Ncdhr, Delhi
199. Vinay Kumar Dalit Bahujan Samaj
200. Vincent Manoharan, NCDHR, Hyderabad
201. Vishwanath, Judav, Jharkhand
202. Wilfred,INSAAF, Ahmedabad
203. Yunus Khimani, Professor, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad
204. Zubair Patel, Gujarati Muslim Association of America


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