National Journal reports that Obama transition team member Sonal Shah has renounced her ties with VHP, the organisation widely believed to have links with individuals responsible for the Gujarat riots in 2002 where thousands of Muslims were killed in retaliation to the burning of Hindu pilgrims on a train in Godhra (see compelling documentary expose here).

Shah was quoted as saying:

In 2002, Gujarat suffered one of the most profound tragedies in its long history, when extremist political leaders, including some associated with the VHP, incited riots that resulted in the deaths of thousands. Had I been able to foresee the role of the VHP in India in these heinous events, or anticipate that the VHP of America could possibly stand by silently in the face of its Indian counterpart’s complicity in the events of Gujarat in 2002 — thereby undermining the American group’s cultural and humanitarian efforts with which I was involved — I would not have associated with the VHP of America.

According to the Journal Shah had begun to panic about the possible fallout of a sustained mass media and email chatter that questioned her links (read The Hindu report here; read blog post at Kafila here , read Counterpunch article by academic Vijay Prashad here). At the same time there are articles in major newspapers defending her (read Live Mint here, read blogger Amit Varma’s article here, read Amardeep Singh’s blog post here). However, detractors are not convinced. They argue that it is not possible that a highly educated person like Shah would not be aware of the role of VHP in the Gujarat riots. The Press Trust of India has picked up this story (here) along with the web site popular with overseas Indians Rediff.com (here).

Read National Journal article here.