Unable, or Unwilling?

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Was an otherwise supposedly capable administrator, Mr. Modi, really unable , or just unwilling to control a genocide?

Gujarat vs Bihar

Ask yourself, two simple questions.
  1. How does Laloo Yadav compare to Narendra Modi as an administrator?
  2. How does infrastructure in Gujarat in 2002, compare to that in Bihar 10 years earlier?
Most people believe that Modi has shown himself to be a hard-working and capable CM. There were very few mobile phones around in 1992, and condition of India’s major roads was rather pathetic at the time too, so infrastructure in Bihar (a poorer, backward state) was definitely much worse than Gujarat.

Post-Babri riots, 1992

After the Babri demolition in Dec 1992. Riots erupted all over the country, including in Mumbai for the first time, and in West Bengal for the first time since 1946. 250+ people died in UP, Gujarat, Maharashtra each. Amongst larger, communally sensitive states, Bihar was the only exception, where death toll was rather low in comparison. This is all the more remarkable, considering the state had seen very massive rioting in Bhagalpur over the Ram Janmbhoomi processions just a few years back.

“As soon as the first dome of the Babri Masjid collapsed under the kar sevaks’ onslaught, Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav swivelled around in his chair, picked up the telephone and dialled the district magistrates and police chiefs one by one: “Shoot whoever foments communal violence. Deal with the situation ruthlessly, otherwise you know how I will deal with you.” Before the incendiary news could get around, the police and paramilitary forces had moved into communally sensitive areas. The army was standing by too. Laloo’s directives initially helped contain violence but pent-up emotions finally erupted in towns like Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Munger. However, the toll-24 dead-was among the lowest in the country. Of these, nine people died in police firing.”

So, even a supposedly “poor administrator” like Laloo managed to control rioting in Bihar which has nearly twice the population of Gujarat†, and had a much worse communication and transport infrastructure, and much lower police personnel per persons ratio – one of the lowest in India.[2]

But, a “great administrator“ like Modi, in a state with a much better infrastructure and lower population, makes excuses about army, and police from neighbouring states, and lets 1200 Indians die – Many after being tortured or raped, and then burnt alive, in big cities, and very close to Police centres!

Army deployment

What we have heard from Modi and his supporters are poor excuses like “called Army as soon as possible”, “asked neighbouring states for help”.

Army flag march in the main streets indeed restored some degree of order in the main streets of Ahmedabad on day 2.

Do you know how much of it was deployed? Merely 13 columns (~700 soldiers)

Begs the question, was an otherwise capable administrator, Mr. Modi with his 70,000 Gujarat police really unable, or just unwilling, to control the genocide?

References

  1. Babri Masjid bloody aftermath
  2. Bihar Police-Population ratio – lowest in India

† In 1992, The state of Bihar comprised of present day Bihar and Jharkhand.

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