MPs delegation asks PM to dismiss Modi govt in Gujarat

Ahmedabad, Dec 22 (UNI) A delegation of non-BJP MPs, that visited several riot-affected areas of Gujarat last month, has demanded dismissal of the Narendra Modi government for ''failing to discharge its constitutional duties in safeguarding and protecting the lives of its citizens and providing them adequate rehabilitation''.

In a letter to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the MPs said there was adequate evidence to prove that the state government's discriminatory attitude against the victims of minority community was ''because they belong to a particular community''.

''This is an example of the politics of exclusion being followed by the Modi government in Gujarat,'' they said in the report on their Gujarat visit. The letter submitted on December 19 was released to the media here today by Madhusudan Mistry of the Congress who headed the delegation.

The delegation comprised of Basudeb Acharia and Mohd Salim, CPI-M, Ramjilal Suman, SP, and Raashid Alvi, from Congress, Subrato Bose, Forward Bloc, Chandrappan, CPI, Suraj Singh from Lok Jan Shakti party and Alok Mehta from RJD. It had visited Naroda Patia, Vatwa, Juhapura etc in Ahmedabad and parts of Himmatnagar in Sabarkantha district on November 30.

Demanding a financial package for the Gujarat victims on the lines of one declared for the victims of 1984 riots in Delhi, Mr Mistry said the state government should not be provided any money for this purpose.

''It is a pity that despite the Centre providing Rs 150 crore from the PM's Relief Fund, the Gujarat government returned Rs 19.1 crore as unspent money and did not use the money to provide roads, drinking water facilities, drainage, electricity and even schools.

This shows its divisive attitude,'' he said.

Almost in all localities, the Government did not provide any land for rehabilitiation, he alleged and said,''It were the NGOs who purchased the land and constructed the houses for them.'' Even after 4-5 years of the incident, there was no sign of the state's efforts and the localities were left to mend on their own, Mr Mistry said.

The delegation also demanded a special survey by any central agency or the National Minority Commission to rehabilitate these families economically and finding for them potential employment.

''A large number of people have complained of inadequate compensation for the loss of life and property. There has been no survey done to assess the damage as the state does not want to do it.. .''he said.

Calling upon the Centre to ensure justice, the MPs said all culprits must be brought to book and all cases including the cases of missing persons must be investigated by the CBI.

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