Gujarat cop attacks Amit Shah, reprimands

Mangaloretoday/NDTV

Ahmedabad, Sept 3: One of Gujarat’s most senior policemen, DG Vanzara, who has been in jail since 2007 for a series of fake encounters ,today said that officers like him were exploited by former Home Minister Amit Shah and the Gujarat government and later thrown to the wolves. In a long letter in which he says he is resigning, the former officer reprimanded Chief Minister Narendra Modi who he says he "adored like a God", for being misled by Mr Shah’s "evil influence."

 

The letter, dated September 1, alleges that the Gujarat government and Mr Shah were aware of the actions of senior police officers like him, who are accused of killing people like college student Ishrat Jahan, and petty criminals Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati.

The former cop maintains these were terrorists determined to assassinate Chief Minister Narendra Modi and others on behalf of Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba. He describes jailed officers like him as "loyal soldiers of this government who fought incessant war against Pakistan-inspired terrorism." While the government has fought to protect Mr Shah, he claims, police officers like him have been abandoned despite the fact that their actions allowed the government to project itself as a brave and alert foil to terrorism.

He urges that Mr Modi, "In the hurry of marching to Delhi, may kindly not forget the debt he owes to jailed police officers who endowed him with the halo of Brave Chief Minister."

The letter gongs down a new war between two Modi loyalists - the senior police officer and Mr Shah, who remains close to the Gujarat Chief Minister, and is charged with the murder of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulisram Prajapati. The CBI has so far not made him an accused in the killing of Ishrat Jahan.

The politically incendiary letter comes a day after a freelance journalist submitted hidden camera footage to the Supreme Court which allegedly shows top BJP leaders discussing plans to subvert an investigation in a fake encounter to protect Mr Shah. The BJP has attacked the credibility of the journalist and denounced his allegations.


10 quotes from Gujarat cop Vanzara’s letter bomb


Gujarat top cop DG Vanzara, in jail in a number of fake encounter cases, has written a 10-page resignation letter severely criticising former state home minister Amit Shah and making bitter remarks about Chief Minister Narendra Modi.



Here are 10 quotes from Vanzara’s letter bomb:

    1.) I have been maintaining my graceful silence only because of my highest respect for Narendra Modi, whom I used to adore like a god.

    2.) I am sorry to say my god did not rise to the occasion under the evil influence of Amit Shah, who usurped his eyes and ears and has been successfully misguiding him by converting goats into dogs and dogs into goats for the last 12 years.

    3.) The criminal negligence of this government and willful acts of omission and commission by Amit Shah towards the fate of 32 jailed officers are so nauseating that it may take this government to the cremation ground sooner or later.

    4.) Amit Shah introduced the dirty policy of use the officers and throw them by deliberately spreading disinformation about them.

    5.) I categorically state that officers and men of the Crime Branch, ATS and Border Range, during the period 2002-2007, simply acted and performed their duties in compliance with a conscious policy of this government.

    6,) But for the sacrifices made by me and my officers in thwarting the onslaught of initial disorder in the state, the ’Gujarat model of development’ which this government is so assiduously showcasing at the national level would not have been possible.

    7.) It would not be out of context to remind (Modi) that he, in the hurry of marching towards Delhi, may kindly not forget to repay the debt which he owes to jailed police officers who endowed him with the halo of Brave Chief Minister.

    8.) This government, through the dirty tactics of Amit Shah, is only managing for its own self to swim and prosper in all directions while allowing police officers to sink and die a natural death.

    9.) The Gujarat CID/CBI had arrested me and my officers in different encounter cases holding us to be responsible for carrying out alleged fake encounters. ...CBI investigating officers have to arrest the policy formulators also as we, being field officers, have simply implemented the conscious policy of this government which was inspiring, guiding and monitoring our actions from very close quarters.

    10.) The government has been reaping very rich political dividends since last 12 years keeping the glow of encounter cases alive in Gujarat.