Author:
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: August 24, 2002
State CM on India's CEC: In his
own words, unedited and raw
"Some journalist asked me has James
Michael Lyngdoh come from Italy? I said I've to ask Rajiv Gandhi"
Those Gujaratis who didn't know
the Chief Election Commissioner's initials knew them all too well by the
end of Chief Minister Narendra Modi's speech on August 20. Made in Congress
country, at Bodeli 65 kms from Vadodara, Modi's speech started off with
words of praise for ministers and officials who'd ensuring smooth water
supply from the Narmada. He soon got to the point.
"Nobody talks of Godhra as if nobody
died. It's an insult to humanity. All this happened only because of the
Godhra carnage," he said, referring to the Godhra accused repeatedly as
"nar-pishach" and "nar-rakshas". But the choicest bits were reserved for
"James Michael Lyngdoh", his "fatwa" on the Gujarat elections and his "bias"
towards the minorities. Excerpts (translated) from a tape:
For several months, the opposition
has been after me to resign. When I did, they did not know what to do and
started running to Delhi to seek Madam?s help. They realised that James
Michael Lyngdoh, the Election Commissioner of India, is their only saviour.
Some journalists asked me recently, "Has James Michael Lyngdoh come from
Italy"? I said I don't have his janam patri, I will have to ask Rajiv Gandhi.
Then the journalists said, "Do they meet in church"?. I replied, "Maybe
they do."
James Michael Lyngdoh came and visited
Ahmedabad and Vadodara. And then he used asabhya basha (indecent language)
with the officials. Gujaratis can never use such language because our rich
cultural heritage does not permit it. Then he gave a fatwa ordering that
the elections can?t be held. I want to ask him: he has come to this conclusion
after meeting only members of the minority community. Are only minority
community members citizens of India? Are majority community members not
citizens of this country? Is the constitutional body meant only for the
minority community? Did he ever bother to meet the relatives of those killed
in the Godhra carnage? Why didn't he meet them? Why didn't he ask them
whether the situation was conducive for polls? Why? James Michael Lyngdoh,
the people of Gujarat are posing a question to you.
If the one lakh gathering here feels
that the situation is conducive for elections, they should raise their
hands and say yes. If the one lakh gathering feels that a sinister plan
is on to damage Gujarat, raise your hand and say yes. See (pointing to
the gathering), the answer is yes. Five crore Gujaratis will tell you that
there is peace.
The day James Michael Lyngdoh issued
the fatwa, Congress celebrated it in their own style. Forty shops were
gutted and 15 persons were injured (referring to recent violence in Dhoraji).
This is celebration for a delay in the election. What will they do in the
days ahead?
If this continues, there will be
a time when supari will be given for delaying elections. Chhota Shakeel,
Dawood Ibrahim will be given five crore to foment communal disturbances
in Rajasthan. And when murders and loot will be engineered in Jodhpur,
Udaipur and Bharatpur; there will be a hue and cry and then James Michael
Lyngdoh will come and give a 40-page report saying that Rajasthan is not
safe for elections. Which direction is democracy going in? Five crore Gujaratis
need an opportunity to decide.
I am not saying I want to be in
power. I am already chief minister. I want elections because allegations
have been hurled at me. It is for the five crore Gujaratis to decide whether
I should stay or I should be removed. No aalia, valia and jamalia from
the Delhi footpath will decide and that is why we have gone to the janata
ki adalat.
Has the Congress party ever thought
why adivasis have become violent? How long could they have tolerated the
exploitation. Poor adivasi girls working as maids were being exploited.
As long as I am here, I will not allow this exploitation. This state is
not meant for maut ke saudagars.
This is a border state and my priority
has always been that maut ke saudagar do not get a place here. If I am
targeted by my opponents, I will not take out the sword, but if fingers
are raised at five crore Gujaratis, then the sword will come out.
Modi then spent the rest of his
speech criticising the Congress.
