Thread by @gauravsabnis

This documentary is entirely based on archival footage and rigorous verifiable facts.

And also aligns with my own very clear memories. I was in final year of college. Really into watching cable news. Right from the train burning, we got live footage.

archive.org/details/narend…

2002 was already cable news and 24 hour news cycle era. Months after 9/11. So there was this continuous "BREAKING NEWS" culture even then.

And right after the train burning news, the question on everyone's mind was, have we, as India, learned the lessons of Bombay 92-93.

That there would be some kind of reaction in Gujarat to those smoldering train images was not in doubt. Post Bombay 93 tho, India had fortunately not seen any of widespread communal violence. Police always stamped it out pretty quickly.

Police was and is the biggest gang.

It was known in 93 and it was known especially in 2002, during the big military standoff with Pakistan, that there just can't be ANYTHING in India... Forget 72 hour violence, there can't even be a 72 second comedy skit in India... If the police doesn't want it to happen.

So the only question even on that last day of February and first day of March was, will this Modi dude give strict orders to cops to keep it all quiet. BJP was in power. There really was nothing to gain for Vajpayee from the rioting politically.

And then Isaac Newton.

And I remember watching hours and hours of cable news in those 3-4 days, when the violence, including images of cops just standing around, was being aired pretty much live. And Modi just kept saying we are doing our best. While cops were literally just standing around!

That's why those of us who were paying attention to politics in 2002 just can't overlook that about Modi ever!

It was clear IN REAL TIME that he had told cops to stand back let the mobs do what they wanted. And that 72 hour grace period, a Muslim "purge" was discussed even then.

Like even during the pogrom unfolding, there was talk of how it will all end in 72 hours once "Hindus express themselves", as if they were taking out their anger on an inanimate punching bag, not thousands of innocent Muslims.

And everything after it pretty much confirmed that.

The doc mentions the snap elections he called.

Sigh, I was so sure he would lose.

Cos after everything we had literally seen play out in real time. How could generally peaceful and business loving Gujarat reward this kind of crazy bigotry?

My first heartbreak at a BJP win.

This is the first of many times India disappointed me by voting for Modi.

But in the end, #BJPwillLose 😁