Bhandari, who was later transferred to Gujarat, during his tenure as Bihar governor had dismissed the Rabri Devi government for "jungle raj" (rule of anarchy) in the state when a few (Hindu) Scheduled Caste people were killed in that state. But in Gujarat he has preferred to look the other way while the whole world took notice of the pogroms. Governor Bhandari's reports to the central government about the situation in Gujarat do not censure the state government.

"Is the law of the land only for 'jungle raj' in states like Bihar [ruled by an opposition party] and not for Gujarat where much worse barbaric incidents took place against Muslims and that too under the direct patronage of the state chief minister himself?" Nai Dunya asked.

Meanwhile, in yet another startling development, Gujarat chief minister Narender Modi has reneged on his earlier promises to rehabilitate the Muslim victims in the recent pogroms.

In a sudden turnaround, Modi went back on the promises he made to Gujarat Muslim leaders last month under national and international pressure.

Understandably, this time, under the pressure of his saffron brotherhood (VHP and Bajrang Dal who masterminded the gory crimes), Modi has gone back on his promises to rebuild mosques and graveyards damaged in the riots. Moreover, due to the Indo-Pak standoff, the pressure has shifted from Gujarat.

Modi had also assured Muslim leaders last month of his intention to offer new rehabilitation sites for the victims of the worst cases of riots like Naroda-Patia, Chamanpura (Gulbarg Society), Sardarpura, Best Bakery and Panwad and of other carnages, who did not wish to return home.

In a meeting on June 8 with around 100 Muslim representatives, Modi outright rejected the demand that worst affected riot victims be provided alternative resettlement sites. He also refused any government funds to rebuild the ransacked shrines saying that it is not the state's duty to repair places of religious worship.

Muslims in Gujarat have been coldshouldered in more ways than one. If the state government has turned against them, so have India's business and corporate leaders. Unlike the earthquake victims, the Muslim riot victims are not fortunate to receive even a little bit of sympathy. Business and corporate leaders have not been forthcoming to provide aid to the riot victims. Threats from saffron elements are keeping them away, business leaders claim. "Whatever little we are doing is on the sly, through independent agencies and NGOs," said a businessman, admitting that his ilk had received threats from Hindu extremists against helping Muslims victims.

Sunil Parikh, senior director, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), admitted that they could not do much with regard to rehabilitation work as unlike the earthquake relief, the government did not spell out its policy. A Mumbai-based banker accused corporate houses for keeping away from relief operations. He said that his efforts to organise relief for Gujarat from corporate houses yielded disappointing results with hardly any one coming forward.

Enthused by last month's dubious "success" in Goa legislative assembly elections, BJP in Gujarat has started poll preparations in right earnest. The Indo-Pak military stand-off and the accompanying surge of nationalist sentiments also played its part to embolden the tainted party.

According to intelligence and media reports, the Modi government is behind the current violence in Gujarat to keep the communal pot on the boil and thereby keep intact the current Hindu-Muslim polarisation in the state that will convert into votes for the BJP.