While the state government attributed the last-minute deferment to the “uncalled for remarks” made against the yatra by the National Human Rights Commission, no one acquainted with the record of the Modi regime will be overly impressed by this belated show of propriety. In the past few months, Mr Modi has repeatedly demonstrated that he has no time or tolerance for any criticism of his government’s handling of the post-Godhra carnage in Gujarat. Indeed, he likes to project all adverse comments, including those coming from constitutional bodies like the NHRC and the National Minorities Commission, as a “pseudo-secular” conspiracy to malign him and the Gujarati people. The postponement of the yatra therefore has nothing to do with NHRC’s concerns. It has been necessitated by the changed political circumstances at the Centre, specifically the promotion of Mr Modi’s mentor, L K Advani, as the number two in the NDA coalition.
It is plain that Mr Modi could not have planned the elaborate yatra, in the face of widespread public disquiet and opposition from sections of the state police, without the blessings of the central party leadership. Indeed, media reports suggest that the home minister was meant to flag off the rally. His last-minute decision to back off from the engagement and instead advise Mr Modi to exercise restraint was possibly governed by the realisation that he could ill-afford to associate himself with such a cause at a time when his elevation in the NDA, despite the pretence of unanimity, has already caused misgivings among the allies. Intelligence reports warning of violence in the wake of the ‘pride parade’ might have further alarmed the Centre, forcing it to intervene. Although the immediate crisis has been averted, the postponement is no more than a breather. On the 12th of July, Gujarat will be hosting its annual Jagannath Yatra. While the organisers of the yatra — the Jagannath Temple Trust — have indicated their willingness to change the traditional route for reasons of peace, the state VHP, backed by Mr Modi, has rejected the idea outright. In the coming days, it will be Mr Advani’s task to dissuade his protege on that count too. The fragile peace in Gujarat demands nothing less.