Why this monograPh?

Riots have been a recurring phenomenon in lndia claiming hundreds of human lives as and when they occur. Yet, the factual data gathering about riots, analysis of the reasons behind and critical review of post-riot situation continue to be ignored from time to time. Besides, as has been the experience, intellectual and political discourse about riots and the overall communal situation has always been acutely lopsided against a particular community or a particular ideological group. This occasional paper of Public Policy Research Centre has tried to see hard

facts related to major riots in lndia with an objective to have dispassionate and objective analysis of the communal riots in lndia. The objective behind this monograph is to help
objective researchers and analysts.
Background

communal strife between various communities. Before lndependence, the countryhad witnessed worst communal violence.One of the first major communal riots took place in August 1893 in Mumbai in which about a hundred people were phase. killed and g00 injured. The period between L92L and 1940 marked a particularly difficult

lndia has

a long history of

lndependent lndia witnessed its worst communal riots in l-948 after the partition. Post-Partition the scale of communal violence had come down considerably in the first decade. But during the 19G0s, the politics of vote bank and appeasement changed this relative peace into a violent phase. A long-term study of communal violence in independent lndia would show that they became a permanent phenomenon after the 1950s. The graph remained high since the
Jabalpur Riots, 1961. ln 1964, there were 1,070 incidents Riot After Riot

in 1960 there were only 26.

o o o o o o

About 58 major communal riots in 47 places since 1967. Ten in South lndia, l-2 in East, 16 in West,20in North lndia Ahmedabad has seen five major riots; Hyderabad, four; Calcutta, none since'64*
The 1990s saw the most riots in the last five decades: 23 The 1970s saw seven riots, the 1980s, 14; the 2000s have seen 13

Totaltoll: 12,828 (South 597, West 3,426,

East 3,581, North 5,2241'

* ln'64, a wave

of rioting in Calcutta, Jamshedpur and Rourkela killed 2,500. Note: Only riots with a toll of five or more included; deaths due to bomb blasts not included Data: Alka Gupta, Outlook (March 5, ?012)

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Riots & Politics:

Who ruled the state when more than 100 people died in riots -1967 onwards

'1967
',,, tL:96;9

Hatia Ranchi
Ahmedabad:
Jalgaon

183

Jana Kranti Dal Congress Congress

MP Sinha

,.312
100

Hitendra K Desai
VasantraoNaik Karpoori Thakur

L970
1979 1980
1983

Jamshedpur

L20
1500
1819
1,46

Janata Party
Congress

Moradabad
Nellie, Assam
Bhiwandir.,'

President's Rule
Congress Congress (UT) Congress Congress
SN Singh

1984

VasantdadaPatil
Rajiv Gandhi

1984

Oelhi'
'Ahmedabad

-.

2733
300

45,

'1989
,',1990: 1990 1ego
",:,1992

Bhagalpur

1161
:,.,

,Delhi"'

.100,
365

', tJnion Territory

Congress
't,

VP Singh

Hyderabad

Chenna Reddy

,Aligarh', Surat

,150

Janata Daf
Congress+JD(G)+JD

':tggZ
,,', ,' r:I993,

KanPur
Bhopal

.',

r52 '2s4.
143 872
L267

Mulayam Singh Yadav Chimanbhai patel

'

President's Rule President's Rule

Congress
BJP

'1992

Mumbai Gujarat

sudhaloriabwaik
NarendraModi

:2A02

3 under president,s Rule, 4 under other parties and L under BJp rule. President's rule includes Kanpur and Bhopal, after BJp ruled Uttar pradesh & Madhya Pradesh state governments were dismissed aftermath of the events of 6 December 1992. During JL Nehru's rule (From 1950 to Lg64) -243 communal violence incidences were documented in 16 states. (Varshney-Wilkinson Dataset on Hindu-Muslim Violence in lndia, 1950-1995, Version 2) During lndira Gandhi's rule (L966-77 &1980-84) - 337 communal violence incidences were documented in 15 states, including the Neilli Massacre of 1gg3.(varshney-wilkinson Dataset on Hindu-Musrim viorence in rndia, 1950-r_995, Version 2) lndira by far takes the shield for being the worst administrator of lndia when it comes to domestic security of its citizens During Rajiv Gandhi's rule (1984-89) - 291 communal violence incidences documented in 16 states, including the barbaric sikh Pogrom of 1984.(Varshney-wilkinson Dataset on Hindu-Muslim Violence in lndia, 1950_1995, Version 2)

Of the L8 riots mentioned, 10 took place under Congress/Allies rule

o o o o

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There were 1,194 communal communal violence incidencesdocumented in lndia from 1950-1995. Out of these 87L or 72.95% were during Nehru, lndira & Rajiv's pMship!(Varshney-Wilkinson Dataset on Hindu-Muslim Violence in lndia, 1950-1995, Version 2)

Communal incidents during UPA rule

5s2t
(Source:www.niticentral. Annual

1851.3
Reports, Ministry of Home Affairs)

The Sonia - Manmohan led UPA regime witnessedS,g?.t Communal lncidents casing 943 deaths. The Congress ruled Assam witnessed bloodiest violence in Bodoland territorial districts in July-August 201,2. The local bodos clashed with illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. An estimated 97 people have lost their lives; nearly 500,000 people were being forced to take shelter in273 temporary refugee camps around 500 villages were burnt down in less than a month. The Congress' alliance partner Samajwadi Party ruled Uttar Pradesh witnessed 27 incidents of communal violence since the Samajwadi Party (SP) formed government in the state. Among them three incidents were big - which occurred at Mathura, Bareilly and Faizabad.

GUJARAT
Gujarat reported 244 communal violence incidences since 1950 till 1995 with a casualty of 1601. (Varshney-Wilkinson Dataset on Hindu-Muslim Violence in lndia, l-950-1995, Version
2)

The city of Ahmedabad, reported 7L Communal Violence incidences with a total casualty of L07L since 1950 till 1995. (Varshney-Wilkinson Dataset on Hindu-Muslim Violence in lndia, 1950-L995, Version 2) Some of Major Riots: o Sept-Oct 1969 Ahmedabad - More than 5L2 Killed in the city. 3000 to 15OOO range in the entire state, Riots for 6 months, Ruling party happened to be congress o April 1985 Ahmedabad - At least 300 Killed, Ruling party congress o July 1986 Ahmedabad - 59 Killed, Ruling party Congress o Dec 1992 Surat - At least 175 killed, Ruling party Congress.
E

The above facts and figures show that communal riots were also happened before ZoO2. On the background of such communal history, Sabarmati Express was torched by miscreants near Godhra railway station on the morning of 27 February ZOOZ, in which 59 people including 25 women and j.5 children were burnt to death. The news spread instantly through television channels and telephones. The first incidents of retaliatory mob violence were reported on February 2g, They continued in full intensity on lst and 2nd March. By 3rd March situation was brought under control firmly. The entire police force of 6000 is deployed in sensitive areas of Gujarat on the very first day, Feb 27,2002. Army is called and the first aircraft carrying army personnel lands at Ahmedabad by midnight of 28th February.13 Columns of Army deployed to assist the State Civil administration. Curfew was imposed in Godhra and other potential trouble spots from Feb 27,2012. Shoot- at- Sight order was issued on lstMarch, that is, within a day after the riots broke out on 28th February. The Defence Minister personally supervised the deployment of the army which commenced on the morning of 1st. During the riots, police fired 1.03,559 rounds of bullets. More than half fired in the firstT2 hours; Through the period of disturbances, in all 66,268 Hindus and 10,gG1 Muslims were taken into custody under preventive detention laws.

' '

'

'

'

'

'

'

statements by shri Narendra Modijust after the incidents.

Feb 27,2002: .'.This government will not allow anyone involved to go scot-free and is taking fool-proof steps.'.The Government will not be lacking in discharging duty...No efforts will be spared in ensuring law and order.

Feb 28, 2002: ..'Come, let us serve Gujarat through peace and self-control,and let us strengthen the arms of law...lt is our responsibility that the lives of innocent are not put at stake...ver verthi shomtu nothi(Hatred is never won over by hatred)... Mar 1, 2oo2: Kriyo pratikriyo ki chain chal rahi hai. Hum chhohote hoin ki no kriya ho aur no protikriya (A chain of action-reaction has set in. We wish to see an end to both action and reaction) (Zee TV lnterview with Sudhir Chowdhary, Gandhinagar. SIT lnvestigation established that Zee TV deleted the last line to give the impression that Modi was justifying "reaction" by way of mob violence to avenge the killings of Godhra.) Mat 2,2002:State Government is committed to pacify the wide spread anger amongst the people and restore law and order with strong political will. Mar 3, 2002: Government cannot shy away from its moral duty of maintaining law and order in the state...all sections of the society too have a role to play in restoring peace quickly... I appeal to people to cooperate with the security staff in order to maintain iaw and order and in performance of their duties...
{Source: Madhu Kishwar's Modinama at www.manushi.in)

2002 Riot & Others

Feb 18, 1983 (9 AM to 3 PM - Just 6 Hours)

Oct 31, 1984 to Nov

Sept - Oct 1969

3,1984
Killing of Prime Minister lndira Gandhi by her Sikh security guards Tensions w re'nn rise during,,,1.960t, Some local incident was the immedlate reasons for 1969 violence.
,r,

to March 3,2A02
Feb 27,2002

May be AntiBangladeshi sentiments

58 Hindu Pilgrims were.burned alive in a train by Muslim mob at Godhra

Station

l"Disti:itt, 14 Village-s near the river Kopili. Uhctear the

Mostly Delhi, Some parts of North lndia

i

Ahmedabad City

'iinrnediate."ason,
r18'1,9:,people.,ALL,

L5L towns and 993 villages in 1"6 districts out of the 25 districts.

'Muslirns.

Acase of suspected planned genocide

2733. Mostly Sikh. A case of Pogrom.

'

512,,Out of which 430,were Muslims

Congress -:,Presidentls r, :. ) ,.', fUIg I Gyani Zail Singh

Congress

Ccngrssboth,at State and'Centre lndira eandh,i {PM) and Hitendra Desai (cM)

L267. Hindus & Muslims.. 223 more people were reporteo mrsslng. B.fP at State and NDA at the Centre

Rajiv Gandhi (PM)

(President) and lndira Gandhi (PM). Asom was under President's rule

Atal BihariVajpayee (PM) and Narendra Modi (CM)

Not ONE rioter or killer conVicted titl date. Folice Filed688 criminal cases, of l which 378 cases were closed due to 'lack of evidence'. 310 cases were chargesheeted, but Rajiv Gandhi dropped cases against ALL in 1985
:

Many of the primary

accused were

acquitted or never been chargesheeted. Recently, Sajjan Kumar is also acquitted.

249 convictions till now in 19 cases. 1"84 Hindus,65 Muslims (31for Godhra and 34for post-Godhra)

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;. Itwafl Lommrsslon
report-Only3copies
exist today. Asom's Congress CM HiteshwarSaikia decided not to make them public

600 Page official

Ten commissions and committees have so far enquired

Marwah Commission (1984) to Nanavati Comrnission {2005)

The Justice Jaganmohan Reddy LOmmlsston oT Enqurry was set up by the Governrnent of Gujarat's Home Departrnent. lt published a report in 1g71, questioning the police's role in the riots.

***

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References

L.

Riots after riots: Outlook article 'A Beast Asleep?' by Saba Naqvi, Smruti Koppikar of March

5,20L2.

(http ://www.outlooki

nd

ia.com/a rticle.aspx?280032)

2.
I
1
l

Riots and politics: Outlook article 'A Beast Asleep?' by Saba Naqvi, Smruti Koppikar of March 5, ZO!2.

(http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?280032)
3.

Varshney-Wilkinson Dataset on Hindu-Muslim Violence in lndia, L950-1995, Version 2: Accessed here http ://swd. ucsd. ed u/i ndia.xls taken from Kiran Kumar S article 'Gujarat saw many bloodier riots before 2OO2' al http://www.voxindica.net/2012l02lmanv-previous-riots-too-euiarat-in.html

4. Analysis from Varshney-Wilkinson Dataset on Hindu-Muslim Violence in lndia, 1950-1995, Version 2

5.

Communal incidents during UPA rule: Data from Priyadarshi Dutta's article 'Communal lies and secular statistics' on April 24,2013 in Niti Central at http://www.niticentral.com/2013/04/24lcommunal-liesa

nd-secu

r-statistics-69885. htm

6.

Statement by Shri Narendra Modi: Collected from Modinama by Smt Madhu Kishwar's Modinama at http://www.manushi.inl. Alternatively, can also be accessed here http://www.niticentral.com/wpcontent/u ploads/modinama.pdf.
2002 Riot & Others: The comparative analysis is built over Niti Central article The 'worst ever' antiMuslim riot was not post-Godhra' by Kiran Kumar. (http://www.niticentral.com/2013/03/06/theworst-ever-a nti-m usl i m-riot-was-not-eod
h ra-52385. htm ) Firstpost article 'Not just Modi: Guide to riots before 2OO2 and after' by Sanjiv Nayyar
I

7.

re-2OO2

688714.htm1)