I have just flipped the last page of the most controversial book of the year 'Gujarat Files' by Rana Ayyub. The complete cover story was captured miles behind the screen with utmost backing details for each incident starting from Gujarat 2002 riots to serial fake encouters. Kudos would definitely be an understatement for Rana for the level of investigation executed throughout the episode.
I have been inspiring on looking at few journalists since years but with the recent noisy penetration of media, my opinion was losing its strength. This young brave lady has fueled it back by iterating that Journalism is not just a flag bearing ceremony but a mere way of life for those who truly exhibit.
Let me share a brief on the storyline although the title tells by itself. This woman has uncovered the facts by evidently ruling out the myths behind the consistent fake encounters by Gujarat police since 2004-2007. The reports floated by her in Tehelka (she was then working as a Tehelka Journalist) had put few influential bureaucratic figures of Gujarat along with then Honourable Home Minister of Gujarat Amit Shah behind the bars giving rise to a CBI inquiry. Knowing the next steps of CBI towards the filed cases against these folks with a strong political backing would end up as storm in a broken tea cup, she had gone a step ahead in drilling more on all the cases by herself with an intensive investigation stint.
She had mocked herself as a short lived US based NRI character Maithili with a strong hindutuva family back ground (for those who cannot make out from the name, Rana is a Muslim), claiming a short film movie director who wanted to unwind the Gujarat's development model and portray it to a global audience. It was a clever move at the right time as it was those days when Modi was projected as the strong PM candidate of BJP backed by world class development model of Gujarat with a bullet train in few FB posts. Maithili along with an UK native co-intern reporter Mike ( his contribution was just required for backing her new NRI movie director avatar) met all the icons involved in the uncovered story of Gujarat from the incidents of 2002 to 2012 and fooled all of them to gather the details for her SIR (Second Information Report) in an usual Tehelka way by carrying tiny audio mikes and cameras. The victim list of Maithili for this undercover story include all the IPS, IAS officials involved in the controversies with ongoing inquiries, linked politicians and finally even, then Honorable CM of Gujarat and today's PM of India Narendra Damodardas Modi. All the conversations with required details are highlighted in the book including the controversial meeting held in Gujarat CM's office on Feb 27th 2002 which was the most crucial event which was a driving force of the emergence of a strong national political leader of today "Modi".
Throughout the stint, she was continuously keeping her life at risk as even a small caveat in Maithili's play could have marked her last breath on the same day considering the background of the interviewees. She had cautiously done the homework and the master plan was carefully executed with minute escapes at times. Overall, it was a successful investigation exercise. Although the story behind the most powerful political duo of India (NaMO & Shah) is known to many, this undercover story would give a good try to convince those who hesitate to accept.
To me, there will be tons of similar stories behind the emergence of every strong political personality. So, it didn't make big difference and it is one of its kind. Yet, I was impressed by the author's storytelling and the dedicated investigative journalism to the level of keeping her life at stake. The overwhelming thing of the entire cover story was when she had decided to quit Tehelka as the management had refused to publish her complete story in the magazine fearing the symptoms of the folks involved were likely to move to Delhi from Gandhinagar in early 2014. The consequence was the birth of 'Gujarat Files'!
Rana Sherlock is born in India!
I have been inspiring on looking at few journalists since years but with the recent noisy penetration of media, my opinion was losing its strength. This young brave lady has fueled it back by iterating that Journalism is not just a flag bearing ceremony but a mere way of life for those who truly exhibit.
Let me share a brief on the storyline although the title tells by itself. This woman has uncovered the facts by evidently ruling out the myths behind the consistent fake encounters by Gujarat police since 2004-2007. The reports floated by her in Tehelka (she was then working as a Tehelka Journalist) had put few influential bureaucratic figures of Gujarat along with then Honourable Home Minister of Gujarat Amit Shah behind the bars giving rise to a CBI inquiry. Knowing the next steps of CBI towards the filed cases against these folks with a strong political backing would end up as storm in a broken tea cup, she had gone a step ahead in drilling more on all the cases by herself with an intensive investigation stint.
She had mocked herself as a short lived US based NRI character Maithili with a strong hindutuva family back ground (for those who cannot make out from the name, Rana is a Muslim), claiming a short film movie director who wanted to unwind the Gujarat's development model and portray it to a global audience. It was a clever move at the right time as it was those days when Modi was projected as the strong PM candidate of BJP backed by world class development model of Gujarat with a bullet train in few FB posts. Maithili along with an UK native co-intern reporter Mike ( his contribution was just required for backing her new NRI movie director avatar) met all the icons involved in the uncovered story of Gujarat from the incidents of 2002 to 2012 and fooled all of them to gather the details for her SIR (Second Information Report) in an usual Tehelka way by carrying tiny audio mikes and cameras. The victim list of Maithili for this undercover story include all the IPS, IAS officials involved in the controversies with ongoing inquiries, linked politicians and finally even, then Honorable CM of Gujarat and today's PM of India Narendra Damodardas Modi. All the conversations with required details are highlighted in the book including the controversial meeting held in Gujarat CM's office on Feb 27th 2002 which was the most crucial event which was a driving force of the emergence of a strong national political leader of today "Modi".
Throughout the stint, she was continuously keeping her life at risk as even a small caveat in Maithili's play could have marked her last breath on the same day considering the background of the interviewees. She had cautiously done the homework and the master plan was carefully executed with minute escapes at times. Overall, it was a successful investigation exercise. Although the story behind the most powerful political duo of India (NaMO & Shah) is known to many, this undercover story would give a good try to convince those who hesitate to accept.
To me, there will be tons of similar stories behind the emergence of every strong political personality. So, it didn't make big difference and it is one of its kind. Yet, I was impressed by the author's storytelling and the dedicated investigative journalism to the level of keeping her life at stake. The overwhelming thing of the entire cover story was when she had decided to quit Tehelka as the management had refused to publish her complete story in the magazine fearing the symptoms of the folks involved were likely to move to Delhi from Gandhinagar in early 2014. The consequence was the birth of 'Gujarat Files'!
Rana Sherlock is born in India!
