New Delhi: What impact are the Tehelka investigations going to have on Narendra Modi and the BJP?
The Tehelka investigations have revealed something which had been restricted to the realm of speculation and drawing-room conversation for a long time. Many of these confessions have already been made in the Nanawati Commission.
These details are now finally out in the public domain. What Tehelka showed are on-camera confessions, on-camera conversations which had taken place between the Tehelka reporter and the people in question.
Significantly, many of those who have made the confessions were acting ministers and politicians who have now fallen out with the Modi Government. In 2002, many of these people were very close to Narendra Modi.
For instance, Babu Bajrangi, the man who is making these confessions, was a close confidante of Modi in 2002. In 2007, that relationship has completely been converted to a relationship of animosity.
A lot of people like Gordhan Zadaphia — who was the minister of state for home affairs then and who, according to a number of security agencies, was actively involved in the riots — and many others are people who are now at loggerheads with Modi.
That's where the real dilemma lies for the Tehelka investigation.
Senior BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy says he finds it very surprising that these allegations have been levelled against Modi at a time when the Gujarat elections have already been announced.
"These allegations could have come long before, this situation could have emerged in all these years. Definitely the sting operation and its content are suspect, because we are aware for sometime that there are detractors against Modi in Gujarat and there is the Congress party, which has lost all ground in the state. So these are situations which may have been prompted by them."
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The BJP leader says he believes that the Tehelka investigation was a political investigation. "We all firmly believe that Tehelka is an investigating agency of the Congress. It has acted like one earlier also and it is doing so again this time."
Rudy also says that more than anything else, "if one has to believe that a sting operation has to be carried out for seeking justice, than the forum of justice, in course of time, for all political parties, for the system and for the Constitution would be shifted to TV channels."
"Are television channels the right forum to decide these?" he asks.
Rudy tries to downplay the allegations, saying there have been far more damaging charges against Modi. "It is not the first time that Modi has been targeted like this. His political adversaries have made all the efforts to derail him."
The BJP leader says his party will abide by the Constitution. "There is also the Supreme Court which is looking into the matter. And there is the Nanawati Commission, which is looking into the matter," he points out.
Rudy says the "BJP and the people of Gujarat" have decided to seek a mandate on the issue of development in the coming Gujarat elections. "And those who are against development and who like to set an agenda which is regressive, which has no context in present time, are involved in these activities."
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