Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remark at an election rally in Gujarat that perpetrators of violence were "taught a lesson" in 2002 was not violative of the model code of conduct, Election Commission sources said on Saturday, December 10. After going through the report of the state chief electoral officer and seeking legal opinion, the poll panel concluded that referring to taking action against anti-social elements was not violative of the provisions of the poll code.
A former bureaucrat had moved the poll panel over the statement Shah made at an election rally, in Mahudha town of Kheda district last month. In the rally, Shah had said, "During the Congress rule in Gujarat (before 1995), communal riots were rampant. Congress used to incite people of different communities and castes to fight against each other. Through such riots, Congress strengthened its vote bank and did injustice to a large section of the society."
He had claimed that Gujarat witnessed riots in 2002 because the perpetrators became habituated to indulging in violence due to the prolonged support they received from the Congress. "But after they were taught a lesson in 2002, these elements left that path (of violence). They refrained from indulging in violence from 2002 till 2022. BJP has established permanent peace in Gujarat by taking strict action against those who used to indulge in communal violence," the Union minister had said.
Opposition parties had hit out at Shah following the statement, with AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi calling him “drunk on power”. Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said, “Such comments by the Union Home Minister are reprehensible. Job of the government is to uphold people’s Constitutional rights and the rule of law. Not to “teach lessons” through genocidal campaigns of gruesome violence.”
In February 2002, a coach of the Sabarmati Express — carrying Hindu devotees from the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya — was set on fire near Godhra in Gujarat. As many as 59 people died, and the incident sparked one of the most violent riots in India. A majority of those who were killed in the aftermath of the train burning were Muslims. Thousands were killed and hundreds were injured or missing, with widespread incidents of rape and sexual assault. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was chief minister of Gujarat at the time, was accused of having a hand in the violence.