New Delhi: The Prime Minister’s Office(PMO) has refused to disclose communications exchanged between former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Chief Minister Narendra Modi during the 2002 Gujarat riots even after 11 years.
Responding to an RTI application, the Prime Minister’s Office cited section 8(1)(h) of the transparency law, which exempts information that would impede the process of investigation or apprehension or prosecution of offenders. Nearly 2,000 people were killed in the post-Godhra riots. The refusal could potentially raise questions whether the communications between Modi and Vajpayee contained any information related to rioters or people behind the riots.
The RTI applicant had also sought a copy of all communications exchanged between the PMO and the Gujarat government between February 27, 2002 and April 30, 2002 on the law and order situation in Gujarat in the aftermath of the riots.
Ever since the post-Godhra 2002 riots, reports have persisted that Vajpayee had told Modi to follow “raj dharma”– to deliver good governance and justice without any discrimination on the basis of caste or religion. (PTI)
