New Delhi: Accusing Narendra Modi of
shielding criminals and victimising whistleblowers, CPI(M)
on Wednesday alleged that the Centre was indirectly supporting the
BJP government in Gujarat by maintaining a "tacit silence" and
not framing a concrete witness protection act.
"It is evident Modi is trying to shield the perpetrators
and victimise the whistleblowers. The Centre is indirectly
supporting this by maintaining a tacit silence and dilly
dallying over framing of a concrete witness protection act,"
CPI(M) Politburo member Brinda Karat said at a function here.
Citing the case of suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt,
who implicated Modi in the 2002 riots, Karat claimed people in
Gujarat lived in an environment of fear as "those who dared to
question are silenced and persecuted".
"People in the state live in fear. Bhatt has been
suspended, arrested and portrayed as a criminal just because
he dared to question. Justice is being subverted and the
Centre has chosen to be a silent spectator," she said.
Bhatt was arrested on September 30 on allegations of
forcing a constable to file a false affidavit against Modi,
implicating him in the 2002 riots, and released on bail later.
Speaking at the event, Bhatt`s wife Shweta, said the
officer and his family feared for their lives but affirmed
they would continue their fight for justice.
"I am extremely proud of my husband. But the reward the
state has given him for being honest is terrible. We are
scared they will do something to us if the Centre doesn`t
provide us security," she said.
"But our fight for justice will continue. People who
perpetrated those terrible crimes in 2002 will be brought to
book," she added.
Demanding the passage of a concrete whistleblowers` Act
during the upcoming winter session of Parliament, Karat said,
"More fascist regimes like Modi`s would sprout in the country"
if a law was not passed to protect witnesses.
"The Centre has made no attempt to protect whistleblowers
in the country. If the process is delayed further, more
fascist regimes like Modi`s would sprout in the country and
the concept of democracy will fail in the process," she said.
PTI
