Search the Internet          Tips

Continuing violence worries some of Modi's ministers

The cracks in Narendra Modi's Cabinet are beginning to show, just one day after Bharatiya Janata Party president K Jana Krishnamurthy visited Gujarat, according to a senior minister in the state government.

During his two-day visit to Gujarat, Krishnamurthy was briefed about the growing risks for the party from the continuing violence in the state.

The minister told rediff.com that several powerful politicians and ministers are opposed to Modi's style of functioning and believe that the inexperienced chief minister is incapable of handling the complex law-and-order issues in the state.

The distrust between communities has deepened so much that unless confidence-building measures are taken up, the law-and-order situation will remain unchanged and bloodshed will continue, they warned Krishnamurthy.

"The list of people who are upset with Modi's style of functioning is getting longer as the figure of deaths in riots is increasing," said the minister.

According to him, former chief minister Keshubhai Patel, Industry Minister Suresh Mehta, Revenue Minister Haren Pandya, scheduled caste leader and Prohibition Minister Fakirsinh Vaghela and Union Minister of State for Defence Harin Pathak and Union Textiles Minister Kashiram Rana are among Modi's staunch opponents. Vallabh Kathiria, minister of state for heavy industries, and state BJP chief Rajendrasinh Rana are also finding Modi quite harsh and autocratic. "All of them have expressed their sentiments against Modi and conveyed to the party chief that the Hindutva wave may not last long if the law-and-order situation is not handled with tact," he said.

One of the dissenting leaders told rediff.com, "Our Hindu voters are angry with the pseudo-secularists today, but they could well turn against Modi if they find that he is a leader of pseudo-Hinduism."

One of Modi's supporters in the Gujarat Cabinet, however, argued, "Many ministers are feeling insecure to see Modi getting rooted in Gandhinagar. They know he is going to stay long. For the next five years no one can dare to touch him. The people of Gujarat are with him."

According to sources in Gandhinagar, Education Minister Anandi Patel and party spokesmen and ministers I K Jadeja and Purshottam Rupala are still in Modi's camp. Amit Shah, an MLA from Ahmedabad, is also close to the chief minister.

Modi's critics are, however, cynical. "These people are with Modi," they agreed. "But is Modi with them? Modi is with himself. We resent the fact that he is not initiating confidence-building measures between communities. He has taken away powers from most ministers and functions in an autocratic manner."

"This is not true," countered Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, a supporter of Modi and chairman of the Sardar Sarovar Nigam. "We are all one. We are trying for peace."

The Sabarmati in Flames: Complete Coverage

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report