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BEFORE JUSTICE NANAVATI COMMISSION OF INQUIRY (Witness No: 143) Name : Shri George Vergese On SA During October – November, 1984 I was the Editor of Indian Express. I have no personal knowledge about the violent incidents, which had broken out in the city soon after the assassination of Smt. Indira Gandhi. Whatever information I had received was through my reporters and the knowledge about the same is indirect. I was, however, directly concerned with the relief operations given by Indian Express and various other citizen committees and during that time I had many occasions to meet the members of the affected families staying in the relief camps. I had also visited the actual sites of the violence. On the information, which I gathered from my reporters, I had come to know that there was inertia on the part of the Government machinery. The higher officers were either not available or were unable to explain why so many incidents have taken place in the city. In the public meeting Shri Rajiv Gandhi had stated that ‘when a big tree falls the earth shakes.’ This statement, alongwith other circumstances, had created an impression among the section of the people that the public anger was allowed to run its course for a while. I had also formed an impression that there was an abdication of responsibility by the higher officials of the Government – both Centre and State. Cross examination by Shri S.S. Gandhi, Senior Advocate on behalf of Delhi Police. What I had found was that the riots, which had broken out, were not pre - planned, but spontaneous. They were more because of public anger. But if the authorities had taken prompt and firm steps, the intensity and the extent of riots could have been checked. The situation could have been brought under control much earlier. Despite its limitations the police could have acted more effectively and the magnitude of the violence did call for calling the army in aid of civil power. S/Shri L.P. Singh, Rustam Ji, Raj Gopal and Air Chief Marshal Arjan Singh, who were all insiders and had knowledge of the capabilities and manner of working by the law enforcing agencies had also carried an impression that if the prompt action had been taken the riots could have been checked to a considerable extent. All these persons were members of the Advisory Committee formed by the Indian Express for relief work. Cross examination by Shri Ashok Kashyap, Advocate on behalf of Central Government "I can’t recall exactly on which date the army was called" Read over and found correct
(GEORGE VERGESE)
( G.T. NANAVATI ) |
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