Amit Shah: Aap ki adaalat, Summary: First Rajat asks Amit Shah about the allegations that he was sent to UP to incite communal violence and polarize the people for elections. He points out that he wasnt there in the 2012 UP polls which were communalized over the issue of Muslim reservation by Congress, SP and BSP and asks why only BJP gets these allegations. He says that Indian politics has gone beyond Hindu-Muslim issues and asks other parties to do the same. Rajat then questions Amit Shah over going to pray at some temple and talking about Ram Janmabhoomi first thing after taking charge in UP. Amit Shah asks Rajat if he prayed at a temple when he started India TV. Does this mean your channel is communalised? Rajat points out that he has been going to and praying at several famous temples in UP and asks if he wants to project a Hindutva face. Shah jokes that whatever he says or does, hes been getting those kind of allegations since the day he joined the BJP. Rajat then quotes Azam Khans allegation that Amit Shah was behind the Muzzafarnagar riots. Shah points out that the reason for the riots was police inaction after the initial incident. He then points out that the reason for the inaction was that the police didnt want to anger a certain votebank which supports the ruling Samajwadi Party. Rajat then asks him about the felicitation of riot-accused BJP MLAs in UP. Shah points out that they were unfairly treated by the state government compared to other accused and were in fact given bail by the court who observed that prima facie there is no case against them. Rajat then points out that media suspicion falls on BJP since questions still remain on 2002; Shah questions why no media or NGO highlights the BJP bringing 24/7 electricity to Gujarat, connecting villages with roads, interlinking rivers etc. He points to Bihar which has been both backward and suffering from riots for the last 12 years. Rajat Sharma brings up Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhis allegations over the 2002 riots; Shah asks Singh and Pappu to first answer questions about running the most corrupt government in Indian history, womens safety, lathi-charging Anna and Ramdevs followers, border incursions etc. and points out that before pointing fingers they need to introspect about themselves. Sharma brings up comparisons between 2002 and the 1984 riots and asks if the government was behind 2002. Shah says that in 2002 the military was called in on day 1, the police fired x number of tear gas shells etc. while nothing was ever done in 1984. He points out that Modi never made any provocative statements during the riots while Rajiv Gandhi openly justified 1984 with his tree falls, earth shakes comment. When asked about an apology for the 2002 riots he points out that Rajiv never apologized for his provocative comment in 1984 and instead Manmohan Singh was made to give the apology decades later. He says that rather than apologises firm punishments should be given if he or Modi are found guilty. When asked about the SIT report Shah is exasperated and points out that the state government had no control over the appointment or activities of the SIT, that on Supreme Court directions their report was presented before the metropolitan court against various NGOs and other interests and ultimately accepted. He wonders if Congress will only consider justice done when it gets to personally judge the case. Rajat Sharma then points out that the BJP has been raking up Modis backward caste background. He asks if BJP is trying to divide people based on caste. Shah claims that being backward caste Modi understands their problems and that wanting to uplift the backward castes and bring them together with upper castes is not divisive but unifying. Rajat Sharma questions the Modi wave and points out that no party besides BJP is willing to accept it. He then points to states like Kerala and the North-east where the BJP has no presence and the fact that the Naveen Patnaik, Mamata Bannerjee and other regional leaders are unwilling to ally with them. How will BJP achieve Mission 272? Shah points out that the BJP will be the biggest party and when that happens allies will show up to make up the difference. Rajat asks about Kejriwal resolving to contest in UP against Modi. Amit Shah points out that AAP is a new party, and while all parties are welcome to contest anywhere against anyone, he doesnt think theyll make a difference. Rajat Sharma mentions Kejriwals allegations of Modis rallies being financed by Mukesh Ambanis. Amit Shah says that he doesnt want to dignify such cheap allegations with a response; he says that the BJP is a registered party that is required to make an account of its election expenses which is in the public domain, and that one should read this data before making such allegations. Rajat Sharma questions Amit Shah about Kejriwals list of questions. In particular he raises a question of According to these newspapers Modi travels in Ambani aircrat Shah lampoons Kejriwal for making unsubstiantiated allegations based on rumours in newspapers and points out that as the CM of Gujarat the state meets Modis travel expenses, including aircraft. Rajat goes on about Kejriwals allegations of Ambani controlling Modi and whatnot. Shah points out that neither Rajat nor anybody in the audience seriously believes such ridiculous allegations and conspiracy theories and they all laugh it off. Then a Sikh man from the audience asks Shah if the BJP will constitute a commission to look into the Sikh riots and punish the guilty. Shah agrees. Rajat finds the answer too simplistic and Shah agrees that it is a more complex legal issue. Another person from the audience asks Shah how Modi will woo Muslim voters; he makes a pitch for putting aside religion and focussing on pan-India development. Rajat asks about Jairam Ramesh comparing Modi to Bhasmasur. Shah replies that Modis hand can certainly destroy the ambitions of Congress. Rajat now ups the ante and asks about the various fake encounter cases linked to Shah. He brings up Ishrat Jehan and Vanzaras letter. Shah raises various issues about the case, like CBIs witchhunt, the fact that there was a lot of evidence showing Ishrat and co could not have been innocent, and that the encounter was a joint operation also involving the central Intelligence Bureau, the Rajasthan police etc. Do you really think I can manipulate all these organizations outside the purview of the Gujarat government? Shah then highlights the disproportionate attention on Gujarati encounters: There are over 1500 encounter cases across India, but only the 14 Gujarati encounter cases have CBI inquiries. He points that it is a clear case of the Centre and media doing a witchhunt against Modis government. When asked about his apparent phone calls to police officials involved in the encounters he brings up an example: I had a phone conversation with you a few days ago, does that mean you are also involved in the encounters? He points out that the CBI has his phone records for several years, and that he had spoken to hundreds of police officers over the years on various issues on various days, not just the days when encounters happened. He finally jokes that its a good thing that Osama Bin Ladens encounter didnt happen in India, or else Obama would be thrown in jail! On Vanzaras letter he simply says that he sympathizes with him, being in jail for several years without even being convicted of anything and implies he made the allegations against Shah out of desperation and cutting a deal with the UPA government. On Sohrabuddin Sheikh, Shah points out correctly that Sheikh was a notorious gangster involved in several terror and arms smuggling cases, yet media cries crocodile tears for him. Rajat mentions a rumour that Whoever goes against Amit Shah gets killed in an encounter. Shah points out that he has fought 42 elections in his life at various places, Are you saying all those people who stood against me died? Finally Rajat comes to Snoopgate and reads out the transcripts of the sting tapes. Amit Shah says that that the Gujarat government has started an inquiry and anyone, including Rajat and the audience, can approach them for an answer. But he asks them to wait for the investigation to be completed and the report to come out, then he will answer all questions openly. When pressed further on Snoopgate and state surveillance, Amit Shah tries to present it as a question of security rather than surveillance. He again reiterates that hell say more after the probe is completed. Rajat questions Shah about his silence and points out that Congress has heavily criticized him for it. Shah dismisses the complaint saying Congress has no right to speak of womens security after the spate of crimes against women under their rule.. Rajat points out that the commission that will be probing Snoopgate will be appointed directly by the state government. Shah points out that the people being appointed are retired judges with a good reputation. Finally the judge compliments Amit Shah for the way he defended himself, presented the facts and entertained the audience(:D) and also Rajat for not pulling any punches and cornering Shah on controversial issues.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 12:00:42 +0000