A Day Following PM's Podcast, Gujarati Journalist and Firefighter Reflect on Godhra Conspiracy
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Synopsis
Following PM Modi's remarks on the Godhra tragedy, journalist Jyoti Unadkat and firefighter Vinay Sharma reflect on the dark conspiracy behind the incident, shedding light on the events that transpired in 2002.
Key Takeaways
- Jyoti Unadkat recalls the horror of charred bodies from the incident.
- The Godhra incident was a premeditated conspiracy.
- Vinay Sharma shares insights on obstruction during rescue efforts.
- Legal expert Piyush Gandhi highlights the planned nature of the riots.
- PM Modi discusses past smear campaigns against him.
New Delhi, March 17 (NationPress) A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi characterized the Godhra killings as a tragedy of ‘unimaginable magnitude’, Gujarati journalist Jyoti Unadkat, who reported on the incident in 2002, stated on Tuesday that his comments have reignited memories of the horror.
Unadkat, who currently resides in Tanzania, informed IANS that PM Modi's podcast with US podcaster Lex Fridman unveiled the reality of how the incident was a premeditated conspiracy intended to tarnish his image.
“The sight of charred bodies in coach S6, stuck to fans on the roof, is something I can never erase from my mind,” said Unadkat, who traveled from Vadodara to cover the Godhra tragedy for the Gujarati magazine Chitralekha in 2002.
She recalled being haunted by a fire officer's comment as he was removing bodies from the coach when she inquired about the casualty count.
He remarked that counting would only commence once they had time after evacuating the bodies, she recounted, as she stood among the remains on the ground and counted 56 casualties at that moment.
Unadkat also shed light on the conspiracy surrounding the Godhra incident, sharing details about her visit to the guest house where hundreds of liters of petrol were stored overnight for igniting the train coach, resulting in the deaths of 59 individuals.
She emphasized how a backdrop was established prior to the Godhra riots during turbulent times marked by events like the Kandahar hijacking, the parliament attack, and even 9/11.
Vinay Sharma, a fire officer involved in the rescue efforts post the February 27, 2002, train coach fire, shared his harrowing experience of that day when a local corporator obstructed fire tenders as part of a pre-planned conspiracy and incited stone-pelting.
“We could have saved many lives had we arrived a bit earlier,” said Sharma, whose testimony contributed to the death penalty for three accused individuals.
Senior Advocate Piyush Gandhi, who was instrumental in prosecuting the accused in the Godhra riots cases, remarked, “This was not an accident but a well-orchestrated conspiracy. It was designed to dissuade Gujaratis from traveling to Ayodhya for kar seva for the Ram Temple.”
During the podcast aired on Sunday, PM Modi mentioned a significant smear campaign against him while he served as Gujarat's Chief Minister regarding the 2002 Godhra riots but expressed satisfaction that, in the end, justice prevailed and the courts vindicated his name.
