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New Delhi: Today, when 3.32 crore voters in Gujarat go to the polls, they could be in a big dilemma over who to vote for. A majority of them may find it difficult to spot a clean name on the ballot papers. There is every possibility that many will have to choose between alleged murderers, rioters, kidnappers, rapists, cheats, embezzlers, land grabbers, bribe takers, booth capturers, looters, extortionists, dacoits and so on.
From their own admissions, made through affidavits filed before the Election Commission, 140 candidates have criminal records, meaning they have charges filed against them. Considering that there are a total of 182 assembly seats in Gujarat, this is quite a large number.
Of the 140, up to 63 come from the two major parties, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) having 34 and the Congress 29. Both parties have promised the electorate a riot-free state and a corruption-free administration.
Purshottam Solani, a minister in the Narendra Modi government, who is seeking re-election to the assembly from Ghoga constituency, leads the pack with 22 criminal cases pending against him in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Mumbai police will surely not pray for his re-election as a majority of the cases against him are at the Andheri and Jogeshwari police stations.
But the Congress has an answer. The party nominee from Dhoraji constituency, Vithalbhai H Radadia, has 14 cases pending against him in Rajkot district. These cases pertain to criminal intimidation, a death threat and even stealing electric meters.
Five BJP ministers -- Ashok C Bhatt, Gordhan Jhadapia, I K Jadeja, Solanki and Vajubhai Vala -- have criminal cases pending against them. The first three also stand accused of rioting, looting and leading mobs during the post-Godhra frenzy.
Bhatt, health minister in the Modi government, who is contesting from Khadia constituency, was named by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Concerned Citizens' Tribunal, which conducted an elaborate probe into the riots. Bhatt, the NHRC and tribunal alleged, monitored the progress of the riots to his advantage from the Ahmedabad City Police Control Room.
His ministerial colleague, Jhadapia, who is contesting from the Rakhial assembly constituency, also finds mention in the NHRC's and tribunal's reports. He is also alleged to have monitored the progress of the riots to his advantage from the same police control room.
Similarly, Jadeja, another minister, who is seeking votes in the Dhrangadhra assembly constituency, is accused by the tribunal of preventing police from taking action against rioters.
Jitubhai Vaghela, who is in the fray from the Sheherkotda assembly seat, stands booked in four cases of rioting, looting and arson. He is accused of having participated in the carnage and killings in Moto Vankarvas, Sutharwada, Ashoknagar, Popatiawad, Maniarwada, Jhulta Minara and Nagpurwala in the Chali areas of Ahmedabad. The tribunal claimed he led a mob of 3,000 people carrying firearms, acid bulbs, petrol bombs, swords and knives.
In a telephone interview, Vaghela admitted that he had been booked in four to five riot cases. "Sab cases rioting ke hai," he said, but termed the cases politically motivated. He asked that, if he was truly involved, why wasn't he arrested by the police.
Mayaben Kodnani, who is seeking re-entry into the assembly from Naroda, is not far behind Vaghela. Kodnani stands accused of rioting at Naroda Patia by the NHRC, the tribunal and an NGO called the Movement for Secular Democracy. Mayaben too called the charges against her bogus.
She said she was admitted in Sola civil hospital of Ahmedabad when the riots at Naroda Patia took place. She also claimed that though a case was registered against her, she was never charge sheeted by the police. She said she was named in the case 18 days after the Naroda Patia incident.
Mayaben also defended Vaghela, saying the latter was admitted in L G Hospital at the time of the riots in Ahmedabad.
Dilip M Patel, the BJP candidate from the Anand assembly seat, faces allegations of burning and looting the Everfresh Group of shops during the riots and being involved in a murder on November 8, 2002, at Mehlav village.
Modi, who led the BJP election campaign, himself stands accused by the tribunal. The report says, "The post-Godhra carnage in Gujarat was an organised crime perpetrated by the state's chief minister and his government."
The Congress, which swears by communal peace in its election manifesto, in no way lags behind the BJP in fielding alleged rioters and murderers. The party candidate from Kalupur constituency, Mohmad Farug Husen Sekh, was earlier this year booked twice for rioting and destruction of property by the Kalupur police.
Another candidate, Mohammad Javid Abdul Pirzada, who is in the fray from Vakaner Kuvadava, stands accused of breaching the peace in a police station of Rajkot district. Similarly, Narayanbhai Bhimabhai Odh, the party nominee from Surat, faces charges of rioting and detaining a married woman.
An ordinance, promulgated in August 2002, makes it mandatory for candidates contesting the Parliament and state assembly elections to declare their criminal backgrounds, if any. This information, according to Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh, can be obtained from the district election offices after paying a 'nominal fee'.
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