Former Gujarat Intelligence boss not surprised at Hindutva involvement in Bomb blasts

‘Discovery of terror elements in Hindu outfits not surprising’

by Saurav Kumar
Posted: Oct 26, 2008 at 0329 hrs IST

Ahmedabad, October 25 Ahmedabad most communal city; hatred against Muslims brewing since 2002, says former DGP

The recent revelations about the possibility of Hindu extremist organisations behind the Malegaon and Modasa blasts is ‘not surprising’, feels R B Sreekumar, former Director General of Police (DGP), Gujarat. He said this is the result of their concerted plan of mass action against Muslims.

Sreekumar said: “The situation has been ripe since the 2002 riots. Even then Hindu radical outfits like the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad were involved in large scale rioting and violence. A lot of hate literature was being distributed and there is every possibility of more militant elements being born out of all this.”

Sreekumar, who was the ADGP (Intelligence) during and after the riots, has in his various confidential reports flagged down the possibility of more targeted violence in the future. All the confidential reports prepared by him during that period are a part of the affidavits he submitted before the Justice Nanavati-headed riot inquiry commission.

In a confidential note titled ‘Current Communal Scenario in Ahmedabad City’ sent on April 24, 2002 to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Sreekumar had profiled the city in the aftermath of the riots.

‘Discovery of terror elements in Hindu outfits not surprising’ At one place the report says: “Reports indicate that extremist sections of the VHP and the Bajrang Dal are planning mass actions against Muslims in certain strongholds of the minorities…clashes between Hindu and Muslim ghettos by using sophisticated weapons may become a routine affair.”

In his many intelligence reports of the period, Sreekumar had also pointed out the large scale procurement of arms by radical elements in both communities.

A 1971 batch IPS officer, Sreekumar, was superceded to the post of the DGP in February 2005, allegedly for his strong anti-government deposition and affidavits filed by him before the Nanavati Commission. He was later given the rank retrospectively by an order of the Gujarat High Court in May this year.

Sreekumar, who was the ADGP (Intelligence) till September 2002, said: “While the organisations involved in the Modasa and Malegaon may not be known names so far, there is every likelihood that they are connected to the Sangh Parivar. It is like some members starting their own militant factions based on the same larger ideology.”

Identifying radical Hindu hotspots in the state, Sreekumar said: “Ahmedabad is the most communal place you can find. Also, certain areas around Chota Udepur, near the Madhya Pradesh border, are areas that can be used for training camps and other militant purposes.”

According to him, both Hindu and Muslim extremist organisations are feeding ‘ideological ammunition’ to convert people of the two communities into ‘pre-programmed human robots who can be deployed for mass rampage and wanton killings.’