Gujarat government rejects Vanzara’s resignation

Congress calls bandh; Modi makes plans for PR blitz

Ahmedabad, Sept 4: The Gujarat government on Wednesday said it has not accepted the resignation IPS officer D.G. Vanzara, is jail for alleged fake encounter cases, who quit after indicting Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Gujarat additional chief secretary (home) S.K. Nanda did not give any specific reasons behind turning down the resignation.

Mr Vanzara, 59, a deputy inspector-general of police rank officer, suspended and behind the bars in a string of fake encounter cases, had resigned from the service after accusing the Modi government of having failed to protect the jailed police officers who fought against “Pakistaninspired terrorism”.

But the contents of the letter caused ripples nationwide. In Ahmedabad, the NGO Jan Sangharsh Manch demanded the arrest of Mr Modi.

The NGO is run by advocate Mukul Sinha, who represents Gopinath Pillai, father of Javed Shaikh alias Pranesh Pillai, who along with three others, including Ishrat Jahan, was killed in a “fake” encounter in 2004.

Speaking for the NGO, Mr Amrish Patel said that Mr Vanzara had not expressed any remorse whatsoever for killing innocent people, and that he deserves no mercy.

In a media briefing held here, Congress leaders also alleged that contents of a sting operation conducted on BJP leaders had reportedly showed the Gujarat government had provided a “safe passage” to the “chief conspirator” of former Home minister of state Haren Pandya's murder.

But, apparently impervious to a storm created Mr Vanzara’s letter, Mr Modi announced a blitz in which he would address a string of events including a video conference speech to Indian diaspora in the US this month.

Putting out the itinerary on Twitter, Mr Modi said: “Many friends have been asking me about my public meetings through this month. Sharing the schedule.”

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned twice following uproar over the letter, with the Congress, SP and JDU demanding Mr Modi’s resignation