Gordhan Zadafia
Gordhan Zadafia | |
|---|---|
| Minister for Home and Security and Police Housing (Independent Charge) ofGujarat | |
| In office 1998–2002 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 20 June 1954 Gariadhar,Bombay State,India (present-dayGujarat) |
| Political party | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Other political affiliations | Gujarat Parivartan Party(2012-2014) Mahagujarat Janata Party (2007-2012) |
| Spouse | Leelaben Zadafia |
| Education | B.Sc., M.P.A. (Master of Public Administration), Diploma in Marketing Management |
Gordhan Zadafia(born 20 June, 1954) is an Indian politician fromGujarat,India.He was a leader inVishva Hindu Parishad(VHP) for 15 years before joiningBharatiya Janata Party(BJP).
He served as the General Secretary of BJP inAhmedabadcity and was elected twice as a member of theGujarat Legislative Assemblyduring 1995–97 and 1998–2002. He was a Minister of State for Home and Security and Police Housing (Independent Charge) during 2001–2002 in the state Government of Gujarat led byNarendra Modi.[1]
He was accused of involvement in the2002 Gujarat riots.Following a break with Narendra Modi after 2002, he pursued other political parties, competing against BJP, but eventually rejoined BJP in 2014.
Political career[edit]
Zadafia was a close associate of the VHP chiefPraveen Togadiain Gujarat unit of VHP. He is reported to have been inducted as a Minister in the Modi cabinet as a sop to the latter for his support of Modi's chief ministership.[2]Zadafia is accused of involvement in the2002 Gujarat riotsby posting police officers sympathetic to VHP in strategic positions and accused of helping unleash violence.[3]He transferred police officers such asRahul Sharma.[4]On his orders, police raided refugee camps claiming that they housed rioters.[4][5]
After the December 2002 elections,Narendra Modidropped him from the cabinet to signal a break with the VHP.[2]Zadafia subsequently floated a new political party, Mahagujarat Janata Party (MJP) during the 2007 assembly elections in Gujarat, later merged into theGujarat Parivartan Partyof former chief ministerKeshubhai Patel.
During the 2012 assembly elections, Togadia and VHP activists campaigned hard for theGujarat Parivartan Partyagainst the BJP. Despite all efforts, Zadafia and his team lost the 2012 elections. The VHP support for Zadafia ended up strengtheningNarendra Modi's anti-hardline Hindutva image.[6]
TheSupreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) questioned Zadafia thrice regarding his role in the 2002 riots. Following reports that SIT had found evidence against him and senior police officers, it was reported that Zadafia was inclined to testify against Modi. Following pressure from RSS leaders, Zadafia refrained from such a move.[7]
On 24 February 2014, Zadafia rejoined the BJP and mergedGujarat Parivartan Partyinto it.[8]
References[edit]
- ^"Gujarat Assembly membership records".Archived fromthe originalon 20 June 2013.Retrieved3 December2012.
- ^abMarino 2014,p. 165.
- ^"History of how Modi and Togadia fell out".Times of India.22 April 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 9 September 2014.Retrieved26 August2014.
- ^abBunsha 2005,p.[page needed].
- ^Mari Marcel Thekaekara (12 May 2002)."The Survivors Speak".The Hindu.Archived fromthe originalon 5 October 2018.Retrieved28 August2014.
- ^Sanjay Singh (2 April 2013)."How Modi cut Togadia down to size in Gujarat".Firstpost.Archivedfrom the original on 15 August 2014.Retrieved28 August2014.
- ^"RSS telling Zadaphia not to testify against Modi: Sources".Times of India.5 September 2010.Archivedfrom the original on 1 December 2014.Retrieved28 August2014.
- ^"Gordhan Zadaphia back in BJP; in-house threat for Modi is over".Firstpost.24 February 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 1 March 2014.Retrieved28 August2014.
Bibliography[edit]
- Bunsha, Dionne (2005).Scarred: Experiment's With Violence In Gujarat.Penguin.ISBN978-0-14-400076-0.
- Marino, Andy (2014).Narendra Modi: A Political Biography.HarperCollins Publishers India.ISBN978-93-5136-217-3.
- Jose, Vinod K (1 March 2012)."The Emperor Uncrowned: The rise of Narendra Modi".Caravan.Archived fromthe originalon 3 September 2014.Retrieved28 August2014.