The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Thursday, May 9, 2002, Chandigarh, India

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2,000 CRPF personnel for Gujarat

Police officers display weapons seized in a riot- hit neighborhood in Ahmedabad. — Reuters photo

New Delhi, May 8
Acceding to a Gujarat government request, the Centre has decided to send about 2,000 CRPF personnel, including nearly 200 commandos, to assist the state administration in combating communal violence.

Highly placed sources said tonight that eight companies of the CRPF were being transported to Gujarat from various parts of the country.

The Narendra Modi government had recently sought additional forces to deal with the continuing communal violence and also to restore confidence among the people.

Mr K.P.S Gill, the Security Adviser to the Gujarat Chief Minister, who had met the Home Minister yesterday, had also pleaded with the Centre for early despatch of the security forces. PTI

Sack Fernandes, Modi: NFIW
A. Balu

Chennai, May 8
The National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), now in session here, has censured the Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, for the carnage in his state and the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, for making light of the rape incidents in Gujarat and demanded their dismissal.

In a strongly worded resolution, the federation said Mr Modi had not only “failed in his duty, but had even connived with the rioters, and therefore, should be immediately removed.”

The resolution described as “shameful, cynical and downright dangerous for every woman” the recent remarks of Mr Fernandes in Parliament that incidents of rape had happened before, and called for his immediate resignation.