LONDON, ENGLAND, JULY 21, 2002: As an indication of their intense and continuing interest in the aftermath of the Gujarat violence, eight MPs of Britain’s governing Labour Party have said they will visit the state to get “a clearer picture of the situation on the ground.” MPs, who include some from Muslim constituencies, such as Terry Rooney of Bradford and Fabian Hamilton of Leeds, have dismissed the Indian government’s oft-stated concern that British politicians are making domestic capital out of foreign issues, with one eye on the Muslim votebank. In March, India criticised the British High Commission’s leaked report into the Gujarat violence and asked other countries to mind their own business. But Rooney, who announced the MPs’ forthcoming visit at a 400-strong public meeting in Bradford late on Saturday, told TNN the new fact-finding mission to India was an expression of “concern about human rights.” He said, “The Indian government always churns out such nonsense when anyone wants to visit from anywhere. They should know that people do care about human rights abuses. One has to ask, why are the Indian government is so afraid. Perhaps they do have something to hide.” Perhaps after the next race riot involving Hindus and Muslims in the UK, the Indian government can send a fact-finding mission itself.
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