British state sponsored media, the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), which is often peddled as the gold standard in journalism, came up with a documentary on the 2002 riots. The timing is no coincidence. Little over a year from now, India will go for general elections and if things hold as they are Narendra Modi is very likely to return as Prime Minister for the third consecutive time.

When riots broke out in Gujarat in February 2002, Narendra Modi was the chief minister of the state. Here is a brief chronology of what happened back then.

• On January 26, 2001, an earthquake with magnitude of 7.4 struck Gujarat, killing thousands. The state was devastated.
• About few months later, Keshubhai Patel, who was the chief minister of Gujarat then was facing allegations of abuse of power, corruption and poor administration.
• On October 6, 2001 he was asked to resign and Narendra Modi was brought in who swore in as CM on October 7, 2001.
• On December 13, 2001, terrorists backed by Pakistan attacked Indian Parliament. Situation was tensed and the security at India-Pakistan border was jacked up, with clouds of war looming. Atal Bihari Vajpayee led NDA government was at Centre, but BJP did not have full majority. It was a fragile time in Indian politics.
• On February 27, 2002, Sabarmati Express, a train returning from Ayodhya was set on fire. 59 Hindu pilgrims returning after giving services for construction of Ram Mandir, whenever it happens in hopes of court ruling in their favour whenever it does, were burnt alive.
• February 28, 2002, riots broke out in Gujarat in reaction to the Godhra Sabarmati Express carnage.

Here is what the BBC documentary does not mention. A mob comprising of thousands of Muslim men had gathered at Godhra railway station. The train was delayed by a couple of hours and instead of arriving in Godhra in middle of the night, it reached in morning. The Sabarmati Express was not a random target, it was targeted specifically because it was carrying passengers returning from Ayodhya.

Soon, during the aftermath of the carnage, riots broke out. The mainstream media that has always believed in ‘responsible reporting’ where Muslim perpetrators are not named or crimes are watered down, would conveniently forget the carnage. Soon, there were fantastical reports on ‘atrocities’ perpetrated by ‘Hindu mobs’ on poor Muslims. Many, many publications, including international ones, reported that a ‘Hindu mob’ raped a pregnant Muslim woman, Kausar Bano, ripped open her tummy with a sword and flung the foetus in the air. It has been 20 years and this myth has been perpetuated for a generation now. There are different variations, sometimes even more gruesome fate of the foetus is depicted, but the basic premise remains the same.

However, the postmortem of Kausar Bano told a different story. A 2010 report states that the doctor who conducted a post-mortem on Kauser found the foetus intact. Dr J S Kanoria, who had conducted the autopsy on 2nd March 2002 presented supporting documents to the special court and said that the foetus was intact in the woman’s womb. The foetus weight 2,500 gms and was 45 cms long.

But as we see, the lie had already been perpetuated.

Nothing justifies the riots. And nothing justifies the burning alive of those Hindus, who were killed specifically because they were Hindus.

Worse, these Hindus were then blamed for their own deaths. And their killers were given a ‘clean chit’ by secular media because ‘no one knows how the fire was lit’. In 2018, Raghav Bahl’s The Quint published an ‘explainer’ on the Godhra carnage and subsequent riots. It claims ‘no one knows who lit the match’. Let me help you: A riotous Muslim mob did it. Say it in as many words.

‘A fire was lit’.

Which is also the line BBC documentary has taken. BBC documentary on Gujarat riots has fleeting mention of the carnage. Why is BBC afraid to tell its viewers that the fire was set by an Islamist mob and that after a few hours when the train was finally moving again after removing two burned coaches, the mob had returned to set the remaining passengers on fire?

Justice Nanavati-Mehta Committee report [pdf] talks about how the Godhra carnage took place. Right after the Godhra platform and boundary, there is a road and a locality named ‘Signal Falia’. “It extends up to the culvert and goes further towards A cabin. It is a locality mainly inhabited by Ghanchi Muslims,” the report mentions. When the train arrived, a lot of unauthorised vendors, mainly Ghanchi Muslims, would come on the platform and sell snacks, cold drinks, bidis, etc.

The report further states that the train arrived at the platform at 7:43 AM as it was running about 5 hours late and there was a halt of about 5 minutes. In its evidence portion, the report cites media reports from 28th February 2002, the day after the carnage, where leading mainstream media had reported that a mob has set Hindus on fire. They mentioned how Hindus were returning from karseva and how the mob set the train coaches on fire with petrol.

The Times of India had mentioned how the train was stopped at Signal Falia where someone had pulled the chain and after initial pelting of stones on coach S6 and S7, windows were broken and petrol bombs were thrown inside. The Indian Express, too, carried eyewitness statements on how the mob had set the coach ablaze after pelting stones.

BBC documentary mentions none such things.

How did the conspiracy theories come to be, denying justice to Hindu victims?

Mukul Sinha, then a member of ‘Jan Sangharsh Manch’, a ‘civil rights organisation’, filed a statement and questioned the criminal conspiracy angle of state government. He claimed that after the ‘evidence’ collected by him, it “appeared to him that burning of coach S/6 was because of the spontaneous scuffle and fight that had taken place between Ramsevaks and Muslim vendors on the platform of Godhra railway station and not because of any conspiracy hatched earlier.” Mukul Sinha’s son, Pratik Sinha, now runs the propaganda website ‘Alt News’, along with one Mohammed Zubair, which regularly whitewashes crimes committed by Islamists.

Sinha senior with a bunch of ‘like minded’ propagandists would float theories on the 2002 Godhra carnage and subsequent riots in Gujarat.

In 2004, pro-Congress ‘activist’ Shabnam Hashmi organised a seminar in Delhi “Rebuilding Justice and Hope in Gujarat: The Agenda Ahead”. Amongst those present in the seminar were: actresses Sharmila Tagore and Nandita Das, lawyers Indira Jaisingh and Nitya Ramakrishnan, and journalists Praful Bidwai and Rajdeep Sardesai along with many known critics of the then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi. They all tried to figure out ways to ‘fix’ Modi legally where Sinha gave a presentation to ‘prove’ the Muslim mob setting the train to fire was ‘false’ and that the fire was an ‘accident’. 

This kind of propaganda was seeded through ‘truthofgujarat’ by Mukul Sinha along with his son Pratik.

But you know, over 20 years have passed since the carnage and subsequent riots. Lies, like the ‘pregnant woman’s womb cut open and foetus flung on sword tip’ have perpetuated for years now. An entire generation has now grown up not knowing what happened in 2002. Which is where propaganda documentaries by ‘reputed media’ come into picture.

BBC is showing just what some sections of society want to see. And while the videos are not available for streaming in India, people have managed to get copies of it and student bodies in colleges and universities are holding screening sessions. Most of these bodies comprise of Muslim students. The Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) members were found screening the documentary at the Hyderabad Central University.

Jamaat-e-Islami founded SIO in 1982 after the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) broke away from it in 1981. A Livemint report from 2008 puts the relationship between the two organizations in this manner, “Blood brothers they may be, but the groups have charted conflicting courses, both in principle and actions. While SIMI is largely underground after the government crackdown, SIO is a gradually swelling student revolution in the making, taking Islam beyond the parodied stereotypes of fundamentalism and violence. Its mission: to prepare students, Muslims and non-Muslims, for reconstruction of a peaceful India on the basis of Islamic principles.”

Earlier this month, the Centre said in an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court that activists of the outlawed Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) continue to function secretively and receive funds. It added that the organisation’s “objective of establishing Islamic rule in India can, under no circumstances, be permitted to subsist”.

The Centre pointed out that every new recruit of SIMI is administered an oath which asserts that they would operate for ‘independence of humanity’ and ‘establishment of Islamic system in my country’. The Centre also added that its “constitution not only disclaims, questions, and intends to disrupt the sovereignty and integrity of our country; but also cause disaffection against India and the Constitution of India”.

The blood brothers, so to say, are now screening the propaganda documentary which is not only one-sided but factually incorrect and based more on hearsay and confirmation bias. And while India is a democracy and one is all for free speech, there is a darker side to screening such documentaries for impressionable young people.

Similar such screenings are being held or attempts are being made to hold them at various educational institutes like Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi University, JNU – mostly by students group associated with the SIO or now banned PFI and their affiliates. The usual suspects who identify themselves as ‘intellectuals’ and ‘member of civil society’ are rallying behind these student groups for the screening. They are even moving Supreme Court to allow this screening.

The BBC documentary, other than the fact that it is one-sided, it also ignores the fact that the highest court in India, SC, had given Narendra Modi a clean chit and absolved him of all allegations of not doing enough to stop riots. Narendra Modi, as chief minister of Gujarat, was interrogated by the SIT, for allegations against him during riots and he was absolved. Before anyone nitpicks and cries ‘CBI is Modi’s caged parrot’, this happened when UPA government was in Centre.

And its screening is now dangerous too. As mentioned, BBC is often peddled as ‘gold standard’ in journalism. In 2016, the Delhi Police had told a court in a charge sheet filed against three Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists that the Gujarat and Muzaffarnagar riots videos were shown to them to motivate them to join the terror ranks. JEM chief Maulana Masood Azhar was main inspiration for them to join terror organisations. One of the JEM terrorist, Sajid, had admitted that when the radicalised youths and terror aspirants met at a house in December 2015, they were told about ‘persecution of Muslims during Gujarat riots and Muzaffarnagar riots’.

Now, trainee terrorists could be shown the BBC approved propaganda video making it easier to radicalise them. They will be told that the great BBC came up with a documentary ‘telling truth’ about 2002 riots and when we tried to show it to others, we were ‘targeted’. Many of the students in these colleges were likely born after 2002 and are fed one-sided narrative of ‘Muslim hate’ in last eight years.

Intelligence sources have revealed that the whole idea behind the BBC screening in college campuses was that when these ‘student groups’ start the movement, members of ‘civil society’ will join in. At some point, some scuffle will break out somewhere and there will be violence. When violence breaks out, especially in Delhi, Police will get into action and the Islamist students groups will cry how Police under Amit Shah was being brutal to Muslims. They will play victim that Muslims are oppressed and constantly having their liberties taken away. How ‘peaceful protests’ were attacked by Modi police.

And all this will be covered by international media. Other than the fact that BBC documentary is a British show and hence international media will anyway cover it, India is also holding the G20 presidency this year. Lot of diplomats and foreign delegations are visiting India for various summits and talks. And with them are the mediapersons. So should any such incident take place, the international media will cover it and the victim card will be amplified.

Seems too fantastical? Well, did you know members of SIO (Student Islamic Organisation), the ‘students group’ at the forefront of organising these BBC documentary screenings in colleges have been involved in mobilising mobs for the anti-CAA protests that eventually led to anti-Hindu riots in Delhi in February 2020? That Asif Tanha, one of the members of SIO, was booked for riots in Delhi.

There is an ‘organic protest’ toolkit. Here is what happens. A small incident ‘takes place’ somewhere and someone will post a video or pictures online on Twitter or Instagram with the ‘why isn’t media talking about this or Godi Media will not tell you this’ caption. Here, people, usually of particular community, would be ‘under threat’ under the Hindu nationalist government. Soon, mainstream media will pick up the news, more crowd will gather, police will increase vigil and before you know it, organic stonepelting will start, police will try to disburse crowd, someone will chant ‘sar tan se juda’ somewhere and when action is taken against murderous mob, victim card will be out and road blocking will start. Suddenly everyone will double up as protectors of Constitution.

We saw it happen during Citizenship Amendment Act when Islamists blocked roads at Shaheen Bagh in Delhi crying discrimination. This, when CAA does not affect Indian citizens at all, Muslim or otherwise. CAA would only fasttrack Indian citizenship for people of religious minorities in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, which have Islam as state religion, who have come to India fearing persecution because of their religious identities. Muslims from these countries seeking Indian citizenship could go the regular legal route and follow due process.

Despite having no locus standi in this, protests started in mid-December. Initially they were started by student groups at Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University. The now infamous speech by Sharjeel Iman was made outside JMI in December where he suggested why cannot Muslims come together and do a ‘chakkajam’ and maybe cut northeast India off by blocking the chicken’s neck, the little passage which connects the seven states of northeast to India by road.

Soon, the ‘students’ movement’ took a bigger form and many ‘activists’ and ‘members of civil society’ joined in. They all cried how Muslims in India are being striped off their identity. Remember, CAA does not apply to Indian citizens, Muslims or otherwise. Further, CAA was about fastracking Indian citizenship, not taking it away. The protests did not even pass the smell test even then the Indian Muslims en masse joined the protests.

To put things in perspective, just a month prior to passing the CAA, the Supreme Court had given a unanimous verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi case and passed the judgement in favour of Ram Lalla. The court had ruled that the mandir will come up on the land where Bhagwan Shri Ram was born in Ayodhya. The land was part of a decades old dispute where Mughals had razed down the Hindu temple and a masjid, ‘Babri masjid’ was erected on the holy land of Hindus. On 6th December 1992, Hindus had carried out karseva and demolished the disputed structure and land was flattened.

When the verdict was out, Sharjeel Imam, then a student at JNU, had organised ‘constitution burning‘ event on the campus. Here is a snippet of the conversation from a WhatsApp group right after the verdict was out.

The 1500 page judgement in discussion is the Ram Janmabhoomi verdict.

Sharjeel explains how this (Ram Janmabhoomi) verdict is a ‘watershed moment’ and that the Muslims who are ‘singing praises of the constitution’ must send a ‘clear message’ that ‘we do not believe in the constitution’. Hence, the same should be burnt, as per Sharjeel. He said how a couple of dozen ‘Indian Muslims and non-Muslims’ should be enough.

A month later, Sharjeel Imam led ‘protests’ to ‘save Indian constitution’ by blocking Shaheen Bagh Highway.

He took quite pride in Shaheen Bagh road blockage. Soon, old women, children were propped and hailed as brave oppressed Indian Muslims in Modi’s India fighting for their identity as Indian which was being taken away. Again, CAA was NOT applicable to Indian citizens. Indian ‘liberals’ and mainstream media personnel too flocked there for coverage. At least 3 infants died in the biting Delhi cold. Mothers were proud their children were ‘martyred’ for cause of proving their ‘identity’. All these people knew that the CAA does not apply to a single person present at the protests blocking roads, but they continued to fuel it.

Politicians, activists came. Huge funds were gathered and poured in. There were langars, food was brought in for protestors sitting there blocking roads. Politicians, especially Muslim politicians, came and extended their support. Teesta Setalvad, one of the favourite ‘activists’ of Indian intellectuals, was found tutoring protestors on what to say and what not to say to media and elsewhere. Teesta has done this earlier too. During 2002 riots. The same riots BBC created documentary on but they have cleverly missed out on such small details.

Setalvad has been accused of embezzling funds meant for Gujarat riot victims. She had allegedly collected funds for the 2002 riot victims and instead used it for personal luxury and expenses. The allegations had come to light after one of the residents of the Gulbarg Housing Society filed a complaint against her alleging that she had embezzled funds collected for the 2002 riot victims through her NGOs Sabrang Trust and Citizens for Justice and Peace.

It is alleged that she had used the funds collected in the name of riot victims for liquor, movies, gadgets and personal goods. Further, it was also found that her NGO has violated FCRA norms. The Sabrang Communications and Publishing Pvt Ltd had allegedly received Rs 2.9 lakhs from the Ford Foundation even if it was not registered under FCRA.

Setalvad has had several allegations against her including luring and misguiding a key witness into giving false testimony, FIRs for tweeting objectionable pictures of Hindu Gods and also FIRs for promoting enmity on religious grounds.

Coming back to anti-CAA protests. How did it end? On 23-24 February, violence broke out and those who were supporting the CAA were attacked by a mob, mostly comprising of Muslims. Stones were pelted and soon violence escalated. Delhi Police Head Constable Ratan Lal was one of the first victims. Ratan Lal was mercilessly lynched by a crazed Islamist mob while he was trying to do his duty on main Wazirabad Road, Chand Bagh. The 42-year-old police officer lived with his family in Amrit Vihar, Burari, Delhi.

IB Officer Ankit Sharma was striped naked to check his religion. Muslim men undergo circumcision as per Islamic rituals and Hindus don’t. AAP leader Tahir Hussain was charged for his murder. Sharma’s body was recovered from a drain near Tahir Hussain’s house on February 26, 2020, a day after he went missing.

What is important to note here is that during the two days the anti-Hindu riots broke out in Delhi, the then US President, Donald Trump was visiting India. Trump was in India on 24 and 25 February 2020 – the two days Delhi burned. Obviously, the international media was following Trump in the election year and the rabid rioters knew the violence and subsequent police action will get international coverage. The opportunity to show ‘police brutality’ under Modi on ‘innocent and peacefully protesting Indian Muslims’ was served to them on the platter.

Except things kind of backfired. Their involvement in orchestrating riots, especially collecting things like petrol bombs and stones on top of their homes and mosques were all captured on camera. While investigation is still on, the charge sheets filed by Delhi Police are quite damning on how the Islamists had organised the agitation and culminated it into violence and riots for international media attention to cry ‘Muslim persecution’ in Modi’s India.

And if you connect all loose threads, the point of contention is the December 6, 1992 demolition of disputed structure ‘Babri Masjid’ at Ayodhya and now the subsequent construction of bhavya Ram Mandir at Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya. From BBC documentary to the subject of documentary to 2020 Delhi riots – the Ram Janmabhoomi and subsequent Supreme Court verdict have been at the core.