By Japan K Pathak: For last few months, opposition leaders and cadres in Gujarat are seen making allegations that Bharatiya Janta Party(BJP) had opposed naming of Ahmedabad airport after Sardar Patel. The Congress leaders and cadres are found using this invented claim in TV debates, social media, media briefings and other platforms whenever some debate takes place on the subjects of Statue of Unity and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

When applied fact-check, it emerges that BJP had not protested renaming move of Ahmedabad airport ever. BJP had actually staged protest for couple of minutes or so in the renaming function against then PM for his move to grant SC reservation quota benefits to Christian dalits.

There was protest but for what

H.D. Devegowda as then Prime Minister was invited to Ahmedabad to unveil a plaque of renamed Sardar Patel airport. The day fixed for the function was 7th of December, 1996. In those days, Centre’s move to give reservation to Christian dalits in Schedule Caste(SC) quota was in discussion nationally. BJP-RSS-VHP had protested this move and lodged strong protest nationwide for reversal of proposed bill. As Devegowda was scheduled to visit Ahmedabad, VHP had announced protest rally. However, police had not permitted VHP’s rally. Looking at VHP-BJP strength in those days, the threat was taken seriously and very high security arrangements were made for PM’s visit.

HDD was to arrive at Ahmedabad airport, unveil a plaque and address a function right outside the airport building. However, due to greater security arrangements, the function couldn’t attract crowd. The function was lackluster and dull, as just around 500 people were present including the staff of airport, police and media.

When asked about this, then CM Shankersinh said lack of crowd was due to security arrangement for PM. He said people were not allowed to join the function without police pass and therefore it was difficult to bring in or invite large number of people. Then civil aviation minister Ibrahim had in his speech in this function mentioned this and blamed security issues.

Then Prime Minister Devegowda arrived at 1.50 pm in IAF plane and walked to the stage of function. Then Labor and employment minister in Shankersinh Vaghela government, Girish Parmar handed over a memorandum to Devegowda while welcoming him at the airport and demanded that proposed bill for reservation quota to Dalit Christians must be revoked. Parmar argued that SC quota to Dalit Christians would give encouragement to religious conversion. Then city Mayor Nandlal Wadhva (BJP) as part of protocol was present to welcome the PM outside the aircraft. Taking benefit of this opportunity, Wadhva also presented a memorandum to Devegowda demanding – (1). Centre’s nod for mega city status to Ahmedabad; (2). Centre’s nod for renaming of Ahmedabad city as Karnavati; and (3). reversal of proposed bill to give reservation quota to Christian dalits. Then minister of state Vipul Chaudhary who was also present there, objected Wadhva’s move and entered into argument with him over this.

Later Wadhva was not allowed to share stage with Devegowda. Wadhva was stopped by security person when he tried to go on the stage.

When Devegowda started delivering speech, BJP MPs Anandiben Patel and Vijay Patel, MLAs Gopaldas Bhojwani, Yatin Oza, Ahmedabad district panchayat president Ramilaben Desai etc stood up and started shouting slogans against Centre’s move to give SC reservation quota to Christians. Some of them also shouted slogans demanding renaming of Ahmedabad as Karnavati. BJP’s Yatin Oza was wearing a jacket with a slogan seeking renaming of Ahmedabad as Karnavati. He also waved it like a banner. Anandiben Patel and Ramilaben Desai had also wears mentioning slogans against the move to give reservation quota to Christians. Both of them displayed the text and shouted slogans for two-three minutes. Police soon convinced them to take seat and meanwhile Gowda also cut short his English speech in hardly two and half minutes. From arrival of PM Devegowda to his departure to Gandhinagar – the entire function completed within 35 minutes.

Devegowda later inaugurated his friend Indubhai Patel led Sugar Cooperative Society Bhavan in Gandhinagar, visited Gandhinagar Akshardham, cancer hospital, Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram, samadhi of Morarjibhai Desai and Sardar Patel Memorial Trust in Ahmedabad and in the evening attended late Chimanbhai Patel’s son Suhrad(Dattu)’s wedding reception before departure to Indore next morning.

Devegowda had to cancel his scheduled visit to former PM Gulzarilal Nanda in Ahmedabad reportedly due to security concerns in the backdrop of VHP protests. It’s worth noting that VHP women had given programme to stop PM’s convoy by sleeping on the road.

Protests at other place in the city that day

Meanwhile protesting centre’s move to give reservation quota to Christians, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) without police permission organized a rally from Mohan theater in Asarwa area of Ahmedabad under the title of ‘Ambedkar – Karnavati march’. The marchers wanted to gherao the PM. In an interesting incident that day, Police stopped a wedding procession passing nearby the starting point of rally, expressing a doubt that those in wedding procession could be actually VHP cadres. Police asked those in wedding procession to show wedding-card to prove that it was a genuine wedding procession. Wedding cards were brought in and procession was allowed to proceed. But at some distance away in Baliyalimdi area the procession suffered lathicharge as VHP rally was also passing from there. Late PK Jha was heading the police team here. Jha told BJP leader late Ashok Bhatt that the march was not permitted by police and therefore it would be stopped. BJP leaders Ratilal Verma, Ramanlal Vora were also present here. Police lobbed tear gas shells and also used water canon to control the crowd. SP Gita Johri had suffered injury due to stone pelting by marchers. One police constable was also injured. VHP’s Keka Shastri, Devendravijayji, Nirgun Swami, Parshottamcharandasji Maharaj, Dr. Pravin Togadiya, Haresh Bhatt among others were detained along with BJP leaders Ashok Bhatt, Ratilal Verma, Kaushik Patel, Bhupendra Khatri, Jayanti Patel and others. Those detained were taken to Shahibaug police stadium. BJP leader Bhupendra Khatri in scuffle with police men at stadium had suffered head injury. He was taken to hospital.

Bandh call next day

VHP declared bandh call for the next day (Sunday) in Ahmedabad against alleged police atrocity and arrests of saints during ‘Dr. Ambedkar Karnavati march’. A programme to burn then Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela in effigy was given by VHP at district headquarters along with 48-hour fast and Hindu assembly at Asarwa.

On the other hand, then CM Shankersinh Vaghela led RJP general secretary Narsinh Padhiyar and Vishnu Pandya in their statement alleged that VHP-Bajrang Dal cadres torched a State Transport bus on Dholka-Sarkhej-Paldi route in the course of protest during PM HDD’s visit and caused injuries to bus conductor and driver. Both injured GSRTC staffer were admitted to hospital where the conductor passed away later in the course of treatment. Padhiyar and Pandya alleged that VHP cadres also misbehaved with Gita Johri. Then Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela alleged that VHP cadres attempted to stop PM HDD’s convoy by sleeping on road which was a shameful act.

VHP leader Dharmendra Maharaj however in a press conference termed Shankersinh responsible for these unfortunate incidents. Dharmendra Maharaj said the renaming function of airport could be completed in respectful and proud manner if Shankersinh had taken feelings prevailing among people (against the quota move by Devegowda govt) into consideration.

It’s worth noting that when Shankersinh had called a press conference to announce Devegowda’s 7th December visit to Ahmedabad, the media persons had led his attention to protest call by VHP. Shankersinh had however in his reply said something like “I don’t care.”

Summing up

In short – BJP had never opposed renaming of Ahmedabad airport after Sardar Patel. It’s a lie. Protest during the renaming function was never against renaming but against Centre’s move to grant schedule caste reservation quota benefits to Christian dalits. The function had poor participation, lack of enthusiasm even on stage side. Even then PM Gowda reportedly wasn’t happy with how the manner in which the function and the entire visit was organized.

DeshGujarat