http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2264469.stm India's National Commission for Minorities has demanded to hear tapes containing allegedly disrespectful remarks about Muslims made by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. It has asked the Gujarat state government to hand over recordings of a speech Mr Modi gave at an election rally, which was broadcast on television and published in newspapers last weekend. In the speech, Mr Modi apparently blamed Muslims living in refugee camps for the state's population boom. He denies insulting Muslims. Gujarat was rocked by Hindu-Muslim violence earlier this year, in which about a 1,000 people, most of them Muslims, were killed. Many of those who were not, sought shelter in refugee camps. Mr Modi has been accused by opposition parties of failing to prevent the violence. 'No tape' Now the vice-chairman of India's National commission for Minorities (NCM), Tirlochan Singh, says the commission has asked for a copy of the tapes and the text of Mr Modi's speech. The NCM is a constitutional body that oversees matters relating to India's minorities. Mr Singh said: "We are still waiting for the reply of the Gujarat Government." According to some newspaper reports, Gujarat's state intelligence department has sent a report to the state home ministry on the content of the chief minister's speech. The Gujarat Government has been quoted as saying it has neither the tape nor the text to send to the NCM. Caution urged Several opposition leaders have criticised Mr Modi for being anti-Muslim in the past. He was accused of not doing enough to control the anti-Muslim riots that erupted after the burning of a train in the town of Godhra in February. Kapil Sibal, a senior opposition Congress leader, says Mr Modi has committed a criminal offence by making a speech that could spread communal disharmony. Mr Sibal said: "There should be a criminal case against Mr Modi under the Indian penal code and the Prevention of Terrorism Act." Even Mr Modi's own party, the governing BJP, has appeared uneasy at the remarks. Party president Venkaiah Naidu has politely warned Mr Modi to be more cautious in future. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Curfew after fresh Gujarat violence http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2263365.stm Curfew has been imposed in part of the western state of Gujarat after the death of a man during police shooting on Monday night. The authorities say three people, including a policeman, were injured in the incident in the town of Bosad in Anand district The police said they had to open fire to disperse two groups of Hindus and Muslims who clashed with each other. The authorities said the police intervened when the two groups started hurling stones at each other. Police say the incident took place when a Muslim boy was hit by a vehicle being driven by a Hindu man. Bomb Indian press reports say the mob hurled crude bombs at policemen, injuring six of them. Police burst teargas shells to disperse the mob and later opened fire. Nearly 1,000 people were killed in communal clashes between Hindus and Muslims in Gujarat earlier this year. The Indian government has urged the Supreme Court to allow early polls in Gujarat On 2 September the court backed the Election Commission. The election commission had said the state polls vote could be held in November or December but not in October, as requested by the Gujarat and federal governments. Vigilante attacks The Hindu nationalist BJP head the state and federal governments. India's Solicitor General, Harish Salve, said if the state elections were delayed beyond October it would violate the Indian constitution. The election controversy arose in July after Gujarat's Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, dissolved the state assembly and asked the Election Commission for permission to hold immediate elections in the riot-torn state. Mr Modi's government had been accused by human rights groups of ignoring, or even sympathising with, vigilante attacks on Muslims. Tens of thousands of people are still living in relief camps after their homes were destroyed in rioting. |