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Gujarat Files: Anatomy of a Cover Up
Gujarat Files is the account of an eight-month long undercover investigation by journalist Rana Ayyub into the Gujarat riots, fake encounters and the murder of state Home Minister Haren Pandya that brings to the fore startling revelations. Posing as Maithili Tyagi, a filmmaker from the American Film Institute Conservatory, Rana met bureaucrats and top cops in Gujarat who held pivotal positions in the state between 2001 and 2010. The transcripts of the sting operation reveal the complicity of the state and its officials in crimes against humanity. With sensational disclosures about cases that run parallel to Narendra Modi and Amit Shah’s ascent to power and their journey from Gujarat to New Delhi, the book tells you the hushed truth of the state in the words of those who developed amnesia while speaking before commissions of enquiry, but held nothing back in the secretly taped videos which form the basis of this remarkable read.
173 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2016
587 people are currently reading
5231 people want to read
About the author
Rana Ayyub
3 books135 followersRana Ayyub is an Indian journalist and opinion columnist with The Washington Post. She is the author of the investigative book Gujarat Files: Anatomy of a Cover Up. Her father, Mohammad Ayyub Waqif, was a writer with Blitz, a Mumbai-based magazine, and an important member of the progressive writers movement. The city witnessed riots in 1992–93, during which time the family moved to the Muslim-dominant suburb of Deonar, which is where Rana largely grew up. Ayyub is a practicing Muslim.
Rana's worked for Tehelka, a Delhi-based investigative and political news magazine. Rana has previously been critical of the BJP in general and Narendra Modi. At Tehelka, Rana worked as an investigative journalist and her big assignment was to carry out the sting operation upon which her book Gujarat Files was based. She now works independently. In September 2019, Washington Post hired her as its contributing writer to the Global Opinions section.
Rana's worked for Tehelka, a Delhi-based investigative and political news magazine. Rana has previously been critical of the BJP in general and Narendra Modi. At Tehelka, Rana worked as an investigative journalist and her big assignment was to carry out the sting operation upon which her book Gujarat Files was based. She now works independently. In September 2019, Washington Post hired her as its contributing writer to the Global Opinions section.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 489 reviews
August 7, 2020
The book is hilarious! I mean it. An undercover operation has been painted in all its glories but the 'author' hasn't offered even a single cognisable or verifiable piece of evidence for her 'operation' and it was so 'brave' that her sponsors denied publishing it – the same organisation whose founder was jailed (and it still shamed) because of a harassment case. Tejpal, you all know. So much blah blah and no substance. An alternate version of Shashi Tharoor if you are low on budget. Enjoy!
Added out of sympathy: It's not even a timepass fiction if you think so!
Added out of sympathy: It's not even a timepass fiction if you think so!
July 12, 2016
5 stars for the journalistic courage on display. 1 star for the atrocious, typo-ridden, grammatically awkward writing that made my eyes bleed. Next time Rana, please just hire a better editor or, better still, a ghost writer.
But to simply criticize the quality of the writing would be to sidestep the real issue which is the truth of what happened in Gujarat at the time of the riots and how the state machinery bent to the will of those in positions of power to orchestrate possibly the most barbaric instance of carnage in post-liberalization India. So yes, this is a must read for those of us suffering from amnesia after the 2014 general elections.
But to simply criticize the quality of the writing would be to sidestep the real issue which is the truth of what happened in Gujarat at the time of the riots and how the state machinery bent to the will of those in positions of power to orchestrate possibly the most barbaric instance of carnage in post-liberalization India. So yes, this is a must read for those of us suffering from amnesia after the 2014 general elections.
July 9, 2020
'I have the evidence. Please read my book.' Said a journalist.
'Why don't you go to court with your evidence and get the culprits nabbed.' Asked the reader.
'No, I cannot fool the judges or advocates. I can only fool my readers.' Came the honest reply.
Waste of time. It seems like her Twitter rants, without any merit.
'Why don't you go to court with your evidence and get the culprits nabbed.' Asked the reader.
'No, I cannot fool the judges or advocates. I can only fool my readers.' Came the honest reply.
Waste of time. It seems like her Twitter rants, without any merit.
October 13, 2019
Just another propaganda book by sellout journalist Rana Ayyub. Here she says she have evidences, proofs and sting footages. And she tries to portray herself as genius who tries to find the genuine truth. This book was published in 2016 and I am sure she found all evidences before 2014 . Why doesn’t she go to court before 2014 and even now why doesn’t she appealed to the court. No Rana Ayyub will not go to court because she doesn’t have any proof. This book was written for her agenda. No doubt even her news agency Tehelka didn’t publish this investigation. An investigation should always be unbiased instead of showing bigotry and Hinduphobic.
Even in first week of July 2019 Supreme court said Gujarat Lies: A collection Rana Ayyub’s personal vendetta and they say it is based upon surmises, conjectures, and suppositions. The opinion of a person is not in the realm of the evidence. Even opposition parties are not supporting her because they also know she wrote propaganda book.
It’s a disgusting book by sellout journalist. This is why I am not surprised why we have stopped trusting these news channels, websites and journalists. This book was anti-Hindu and agenda driven book.
Even in first week of July 2019 Supreme court said Gujarat Lies: A collection Rana Ayyub’s personal vendetta and they say it is based upon surmises, conjectures, and suppositions. The opinion of a person is not in the realm of the evidence. Even opposition parties are not supporting her because they also know she wrote propaganda book.
It’s a disgusting book by sellout journalist. This is why I am not surprised why we have stopped trusting these news channels, websites and journalists. This book was anti-Hindu and agenda driven book.
July 13, 2020
Read the last chapter first and you will understand everything in black and white. It's pure propaganda without an iota of fact! Coward author.
July 12, 2020
Unfortunately, I read this book. However, at the end of this book, the author has hopelessly given it away... please don't waste your time!
June 23, 2016
One of the most idiotic book I have read till date.
Rana Ayyub portrays herself as a superwoman for whom all the top leaders and cop chiefs of Gujarat are waiting to reveal their secrets with a red carpet welcome.
I wasted my time and money on this book.
Rana Ayyub portrays herself as a superwoman for whom all the top leaders and cop chiefs of Gujarat are waiting to reveal their secrets with a red carpet welcome.
I wasted my time and money on this book.
July 19, 2020
The book is a farce. The author has gone to the nth floor crying foul play but she hasn't given a single piece of evidence. How could she do so? In the end, she craftily says that her evidence was seized by her employer. What a comic fall!
July 14, 2020
The book is a botched attempt at writing a piece with highly malicious propaganda. It does not make any sense because the author does not have any proof for her claims.
April 3, 2020
A cheap attempt to get attention, well a failure one. Only serve for propaganda, far from reality. She did not have any evidence of what she is saying. Why somebody is not going to court when she have the courage to write this made up story. It's better to read books from other authors or just read real facts that it was a consequence of burning a train.
May 28, 2016
this book is nothing but a collection of personal vendetta against Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Had no substance, no logical conclusion. Waste of time and money. Not worth the hype.
January 16, 2020
I have lived through the riots and even driven on the highways during the period. I was in Ahmedabad at that time. So I know a little about the first hand experience. So I was intrigued and wanted to check this book though I doubted the veracity of the author.
This book is not only badly written - which is inexcusable but the arguments put forward are hilarious. There is no proof or even logic to the turn of events. Its sensationalism and trying to feed off the insecurities of the minorities in India and sling mud - as that what gets you attention.
I am surprised it hasnt been banned or the government and police have not filed a case on the author. I would rate it low even as fiction as the writing is bad and disjointed.
This book is not only badly written - which is inexcusable but the arguments put forward are hilarious. There is no proof or even logic to the turn of events. Its sensationalism and trying to feed off the insecurities of the minorities in India and sling mud - as that what gets you attention.
I am surprised it hasnt been banned or the government and police have not filed a case on the author. I would rate it low even as fiction as the writing is bad and disjointed.
June 22, 2022
This is as much an investigative book as Rana is a journalist! Propagandist collection of personal and whimsical lies fabricated to concoct the truths of the history... the author does not care of mention what fanned the fire – the Godhara murders that did not show any sympathy for kids and women.
June 24, 2022
She wails in the public that she feels Indian society is oppressed and yet choses to be someone with a 'Tyagi' surname. Well, who knows!
Nevertheless, the book doesn't have any merit since its purely out of an imagination. Lacks proofs and credible evidence that could used to substantiate the propagandist and maligning writing. Many have come forward to refute the book, the ones who are mentioned in it. The author is out on bail in a fund fraud case as well. Her credibility is not good.
Nevertheless, the book doesn't have any merit since its purely out of an imagination. Lacks proofs and credible evidence that could used to substantiate the propagandist and maligning writing. Many have come forward to refute the book, the ones who are mentioned in it. The author is out on bail in a fund fraud case as well. Her credibility is not good.
July 20, 2020
The author has not offered a single evidence for her claims. This is a fiction presented as non-fiction and a fabricated account.
October 30, 2016
As a species, we are a forgetful lot. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in the political arena. So yesterday's persona non grata becomes today's messiah.
This is what happened with Narendra Modi, the current Prime Minister of India.
In 2002, Gujarat in India was witness to one of the worst episodes of ethnic cleansing in modern history - when crazed mobs of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad went on a spree across the state, slaughtering Muslims at will. The ostensible reason for the carnage was the burning of a train containing Hindu activists by Muslims: but the consensus among liberal Indians is that these riots were carefully planned and orchestrated.
Narendra Modi was Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time. At the time, he was thought to be complicit or at least to have committed the sin of omission of turning a blind eye. However, no investigation could uncover anything directly linking Modi to the carnage. Ultimately, some small fry were arrested and convicted. The man who was seen as a butcher had a makeover as a development messiah, and ultimately climbed on to the throne at Indraprastha.
-------------------
Rana Ayyub, a journalist at the investigative journal Tehelka, went undercover in 2010 as Maithili Tyagi to interview various police officers and politicians in Gujarat to uncover the truth behind the riots and the false "encounter" killings in which Muslims were victimised as terrorists. In the guise of an Indo-American out to make a film on the state, she managed many sting operations in which two things were crystal clear: police machinery in the state was totally compromised to carry out the vendetta of Modi and his erstwhile Home Minister Amit Shah, and all those who opposed the powers that be were victimised or eliminated outright (ironically, this happened also to Tehelka). However, at the most crucial point of the investigation, when Rana had secured interviews with Modi, the journal called of the whole thing with the flimsy excuse that he was becoming "extremely powerful" and cautioned Rana to silence.
She is breaking that silence now.
-------------------
While I salute Rana's courage in going into the lion's den, this book is so badly written and edited that I was within an inch of throwing it against the wall many a time. Also, her sting operation has lost its "sting" as most of the news is old hat. The BJP and RSS have succeeded in polarising the country on religious lines to such an extent that most people don't care about Modi's dubious past: his supporters will sing paeans in his praise exactly because he showed courage in standing up to the "Muslim terrorists". Frightening, but there it is.
Three stars for a courageous effort, however.
This is what happened with Narendra Modi, the current Prime Minister of India.
In 2002, Gujarat in India was witness to one of the worst episodes of ethnic cleansing in modern history - when crazed mobs of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad went on a spree across the state, slaughtering Muslims at will. The ostensible reason for the carnage was the burning of a train containing Hindu activists by Muslims: but the consensus among liberal Indians is that these riots were carefully planned and orchestrated.
Narendra Modi was Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time. At the time, he was thought to be complicit or at least to have committed the sin of omission of turning a blind eye. However, no investigation could uncover anything directly linking Modi to the carnage. Ultimately, some small fry were arrested and convicted. The man who was seen as a butcher had a makeover as a development messiah, and ultimately climbed on to the throne at Indraprastha.
-------------------
Rana Ayyub, a journalist at the investigative journal Tehelka, went undercover in 2010 as Maithili Tyagi to interview various police officers and politicians in Gujarat to uncover the truth behind the riots and the false "encounter" killings in which Muslims were victimised as terrorists. In the guise of an Indo-American out to make a film on the state, she managed many sting operations in which two things were crystal clear: police machinery in the state was totally compromised to carry out the vendetta of Modi and his erstwhile Home Minister Amit Shah, and all those who opposed the powers that be were victimised or eliminated outright (ironically, this happened also to Tehelka). However, at the most crucial point of the investigation, when Rana had secured interviews with Modi, the journal called of the whole thing with the flimsy excuse that he was becoming "extremely powerful" and cautioned Rana to silence.
She is breaking that silence now.
-------------------
While I salute Rana's courage in going into the lion's den, this book is so badly written and edited that I was within an inch of throwing it against the wall many a time. Also, her sting operation has lost its "sting" as most of the news is old hat. The BJP and RSS have succeeded in polarising the country on religious lines to such an extent that most people don't care about Modi's dubious past: his supporters will sing paeans in his praise exactly because he showed courage in standing up to the "Muslim terrorists". Frightening, but there it is.
Three stars for a courageous effort, however.
June 22, 2022
Subjective, biased and one-eyed analysis of the events from a very personal point of view... ignoring all the facts and figures. The author has written it in poor English, coupled with headless editing and useless assertions.
May 24, 2021
I wish I could give this book less than 1 star.
Honestly, I came to read this book after seeing Rana Ayyub's rants on twitter - giving her the benefit of doubt that may be that's not all she does. But I was WRONG. This book is just another one of her bigger rants, because tweets have character limit.
She starts off the book with something and ends with something else altogether. The only common thread from her tweets and this book is her hatred for Modi-Shah.
Her portrayal of a braveheart who is relentless to unearth the secrets, walking into a lion's den going undercover and how the top cops of Gujarat are just ready to spill all their secrets and pour out their heart over a chai time with her is all just astonishing and eventually leads you to roll your eyes. She pretends to be a foreigner, but somehow knows to ask questions that might have been very internal matters of the states and guess what - nobody suspects her.
She didn't give any proof about the things that have been said in her book; her editors didn't publish it; and Supreme Court of India trashed the book quoting "the book is based on surmises, conjectures and suppositions".
The book makes some serious accusations, and I am surprised how none of the political oppositions or the media used it against BJP - they went out to form a government at the center- two times in a row.
A book so baseless and poorly written (I thought years of being a journalist would have accounted to something, but NOPE.), where she continues to "unearth" the dirty secrets by risking her life.
The book might as well be called Gossip files, because without an iota of evidence to prove the stuff from her book, that's what it is.
Honestly, I came to read this book after seeing Rana Ayyub's rants on twitter - giving her the benefit of doubt that may be that's not all she does. But I was WRONG. This book is just another one of her bigger rants, because tweets have character limit.
She starts off the book with something and ends with something else altogether. The only common thread from her tweets and this book is her hatred for Modi-Shah.
Her portrayal of a braveheart who is relentless to unearth the secrets, walking into a lion's den going undercover and how the top cops of Gujarat are just ready to spill all their secrets and pour out their heart over a chai time with her is all just astonishing and eventually leads you to roll your eyes. She pretends to be a foreigner, but somehow knows to ask questions that might have been very internal matters of the states and guess what - nobody suspects her.
She didn't give any proof about the things that have been said in her book; her editors didn't publish it; and Supreme Court of India trashed the book quoting "the book is based on surmises, conjectures and suppositions".
The book makes some serious accusations, and I am surprised how none of the political oppositions or the media used it against BJP - they went out to form a government at the center- two times in a row.
A book so baseless and poorly written (I thought years of being a journalist would have accounted to something, but NOPE.), where she continues to "unearth" the dirty secrets by risking her life.
The book might as well be called Gossip files, because without an iota of evidence to prove the stuff from her book, that's what it is.
February 8, 2022
Supreme court on liar Rana Ayyub's book,"The Book by Rana Ayyub is of no utility. It is based upon surmises, conjectures, and suppositions and has no evidentiary value. The opinion of a person is not in the realm of the evidence. There is a likelihood of the same being politically motivated, cannot be ruled out".
August 2, 2020
I'm really sorry to people out there and me for I read this book. Worst? I completely read this book.
I really really really want my time back.
After the recent anti-CAA protest and expose on how it was carried out, I thought let's give this book a chance. Let's see what happend in 2002.
Boy, I was so wrong. I mean even fiction is written better than this. Like really?
It's a bad written book, a real bad case of writing. A real real bad case of writing.
To top it all, the woman couldn't even hide the fact that she is being biased about it, it's a propaganda to say the least. Leave that, she couldn't even come up with facts and evidences.
I mean this book was for a reason thrashed by the Supreme Court of India and I get it now but me being the stupid me still went ahead and read this book.
I really really really want my time back.
After the recent anti-CAA protest and expose on how it was carried out, I thought let's give this book a chance. Let's see what happend in 2002.
Boy, I was so wrong. I mean even fiction is written better than this. Like really?
It's a bad written book, a real bad case of writing. A real real bad case of writing.
To top it all, the woman couldn't even hide the fact that she is being biased about it, it's a propaganda to say the least. Leave that, she couldn't even come up with facts and evidences.
I mean this book was for a reason thrashed by the Supreme Court of India and I get it now but me being the stupid me still went ahead and read this book.
April 27, 2020
Has to be classified as fiction. Alice in Wonderland kind of approach. Every input and interview has been watered down to seem like some big conspiracy reveal. I read this before I knew much about the author. I have researched her since. Her twitter suggests that all Indians die of coronavirus because there is nothing left to save in India. Had I known the kind of propagandist behind this book, I wouldn't have bothered.
December 28, 2020
A fiction published as actual events with awkward grammar and a lot of typos.
Wasted my time by reading this book after all the hype around it, the only explanation for this book could be the systematic propaganda.
Better avoid it.
Wasted my time by reading this book after all the hype around it, the only explanation for this book could be the systematic propaganda.
Better avoid it.
July 30, 2020
Don't read it! If you accidentally buy it, just bin it asap or recycle so that the paper can be put to some valid use.
June 22, 2022
I can write anything conjured in my imagination and get it self-published to coax all to believe and give in to my hallucinations... that's not being an author.
June 22, 2022
I don't know what is there to read in the book! The author says leave everything and believe me because I say so... strange!
August 21, 2020
Well, you can certainly judge this book by its cover!
September 16, 2020
Hah! I wasted my time just to see how pathogenically the author has tried to create an illusion. Anyone can claim anything unless we tighten the levels of truth.
June 22, 2022
Where are the videos of sting operation?
Dog ate it!
There you get the backstory of this book.
Dog ate it!
There you get the backstory of this book.
June 24, 2022
JUDGEMENT after judgement, SIT after SIT and everyone found out that nothing was to do with the state machinery of the state head. However, this author has peddled lies after lies in the name of a sting operation that does not have any evidence.
June 22, 2022
The usual left narrative left with no evidence, no plot and no truth. Believe me because it's me attitude does not work in publications!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 489 reviews