Congress-Left in opposition to Mr Modi: BJP dismisses allegations

New Delhi, Oct 25 (UNI) The Congress and the Left parties today came in strong opposition against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the light of Tehelka sting operation, claiming that the perpetrators of the 2002 post-Godhra violence in Gujarat had the backing of Mr Modi.

However, the BJP dismissed the magazine's 'sting' on the riots as a 'collusive operation' with the Congress and BJP dissidents.

The Congress said the foundation of Narendra Modi government in Gujarat was ''standing on the bodies of innocent people'' and asserted that the people of the state should show Mr Modi the real place.

Reacting to the sting operation, Congress spokesperson Mahan Prakash alleged that many atrocities were committed on the people of Gujarat under Mr Modi's rule, especially on the minorities.

''Everyone in the world knows that Mr Modi and Sangh Parivar are responsible for the Gujarat genocide and the protectors are predators,'' Mr Prakash claimed.

He said each one of them must be prosecuted for killing the innocents in cold blood.

However, BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said:''It is hardly an investigation when such operations are carried out at the behest of somebody else,'' and added the allegations ''are pending before various courts and the Justice Nanavati Commission will unearth the truth.'' The Left parties said what had been in the realm of speculation has now been proved beyond doubt. Terming Mr Modi as the main culprit and organiser of the Gujarat genocide, CPI leaders A B Bardhan and Shamim Faizi said Mr Modi has no right to continue in the office now.

CPI (M) senior leader Mohammad Salim said: ''This is how Mr Modi wanted to utilise the passion invoked by the Godhra incident to help his vote-bank politics on the heap of dead bodies.'' ''It is unfortunate that despite the outcry by the entire country, the perpetrators of violence and genocide were not brought to book. Instead Mr Modi got himself rewarded by getting re-elected through hoodwinking the people of Gujarat.'' Mr Salim asked the Centre to take all necessary steps against Mr Modi and his team so that he should not have the opportunity to stage an ''action replay''.

The Tehelka magazine, after a six-month investigation, today claimed that it had gathered evidence to prove that the perpetrators of the 2002 post-Godhra violence in Gujarat had the backing of Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Titled 'Truth Gujarat 2002', the investigation also claimed that the bombs used in the violence were manufactured in factories owned by senior Bajrang Dal and VHP activists and also that arms were smuggled from UP, Bihar and Punjab and then distributed to execution squads led by MLAs and senior members of the Sangh parivar.

''The investigation, which had Tehelka's undercover reporter Ashish Khaitan meet scores of conspirators and rioters who gave first hand account of how they personally killed Muslims, shows that killing of Muslims in the Gujarat violence of 2002 was not a spontaneous swell of anger, but part of a planned strategy executed by top functionaries of the Sangh Parivar, with the knowledge and sanction of the state authorities,'' Mr Tarun Tejpal of Tehelka told a press conference.

Excerpts of the investigation were shown by Headlines Today and