Congress revives Haren Pandya murder case as Sunita Williams returns to Earth
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New Delhi: The Congress has brought back the Haren Pandya murder case into political discourse as NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, Pandya’s cousin, returns to Earth. The party has questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s sincerity in celebrating Williams' achievements, contrasting it with his alleged past indifference towards her due to her family ties with Pandya, a former Gujarat BJP minister assassinated in 2003.
The Congress Kerala unit posted on social media: "Modi pens a letter to Sunita Williams, and in all likelihood, she will put it in the trash. Why? She is Haren Pandya's cousin… He challenged Modi and was murdered during a 'morning walk'." The statement has reignited discussions about the case and its political implications.
Haren Pandya’s political rift with Modi
Pandya, a former Gujarat home minister, was a prominent BJP leader known for his RSS background. Tensions between him and Modi escalated in 2001 when he refused to vacate his Ellisbridge Assembly seat for Modi’s electoral entry into the Gujarat Legislative Assembly.
The rift deepened in 2002 when Pandya allegedly testified before an independent panel, led by Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer, about Modi’s role in the Gujarat riots. Some reports claimed Pandya accused Modi of instructing officials to allow retaliatory violence after the Godhra train burning. Following this, Pandya was removed from his ministerial post, denied an election ticket, and later found dead on 26 March 2003 during his morning walk in Ahmedabad.
Controversial investigation and legal battles
The CBI initially linked Pandya’s murder to Islamic militants, claiming it was an act of revenge for the 2002 riots. In 2007, a Gujarat trial court convicted 12 individuals, but the Gujarat High Court overturned the convictions in 2011, calling the investigation “botched, misdirected, and perverse.” The Supreme Court reinstated the convictions in 2019, rejecting demands for a fresh probe. Pandya’s father, Vitthal Pandya, had repeatedly accused Modi of shielding the real culprits.
Sunita Williams and Modi’s selective recognition
Congress has also highlighted the BJP government’s past indifference towards Sunita Williams. Reports from The Telegraph in 2007 noted that despite her achievements and Gujarati heritage, Modi’s administration ignored her accomplishments. Williams had previously campaigned for Pandya in 1998 and joined his victory procession.
In contrast, Modi has now praised Williams in a personal letter, calling her one of India’s illustrious daughters. Congress alleges that this shift is politically motivated. While the BJP has dismissed these claims, the Haren Pandya case continues to be a point of contention in Modi’s political legacy.
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Malayali expats express safety concerns in Kerala after prominent NRI businessman’s abduction
Jeddah: The abduction of expatriate businessman V. P. Muhammed Ali has caused concern among the Malayali community in Jeddah, where he has been a prominent figure in business and social circles for nearly five decades.
Muhammed Ali, originally from Poongode in Kalikavu, Malappuram, runs several business ventures in Saudi Arabia, other Gulf countries and Kerala. He is the Managing Director of Jeddah National Hospital and the Rayan Medical Group. News of his abduction has unsettled Gulf-based Malayalis, many of whom regard him as an important supporter of the expatriate community.
The incident occurred on Saturday around 6.30 pm while he was travelling to Kochi Nedumbassery Airport to return to Jeddah. As his vehicle reached Arangottukara on the Malappuram–Palakkad district border, an Innova car reportedly intercepted his vehicle. A group of unidentified men allegedly threatened him at gunpoint, forced him out and pushed him into their car before speeding away.
He was taken to a house in Kothakurissi in Palakkad district and kept captive. In the early hours of Sunday, he managed to escape while his abductors were asleep and reached a nearby mosque for help. Local residents took him to a hospital, where he is undergoing treatment for injuries, including facial wounds.
The motive for the abduction is not yet clear. Muhammed Ali is involved in a case pending before the Supreme Court related to a college in the Nilgiris, and his relatives suspect that individuals connected to the dispute may be behind the kidnapping. Police have intensified the investigation, but the lack of arrests has led to frustration among expatriates.
Malayalis in Jeddah say the incident raises broader concerns about safety in Kerala, particularly for businesspersons and investors. They have urged authorities to ensure the immediate arrest of those responsible and take strong legal action in the case.
