ગુજરાતી
English
23 April 2022 (Google translation from Gujarati, THANKS BBC)
Violent fights and illegal trade between Santokben Jadeja, also known as Godmother, and other gangs have pushed Porbandar back in business. Santokben’s son Kandhal Jadeja is an MLA from Kutiana seat. The court sentenced him to 18 months in jail. This sentence was given in a case of escaping from police custody.
It was a vicious circle of politics, caste identity, illegal trade and criminality, centered on the Jadeja gang and led by the Santok sisters.
Santokbahen’s husband (and Kandhal Jadeja’s father) Sarman lived with his brothers in Memanwada, Porbandar, like an average joint Mer family. The elder brother Arjan was the boss of the family. Sarman wanted all his four sons to study and move forward. He sent Kandhal to a school in Mangrol to study.
Kandhal had to return from Mangrol during the gang war. Passed ninth class from Government English School, Porbandar. Even today it is associated with the business of agriculture and transport.
Sarman Jadeja was living his life by farming and labor, then one day a person died at his hands in a mutual fight. The impression of the dead person was stubborn and awe-inspiring. Now Sarman Jadeja started feeling scared.
The Mer community lives in large numbers in Porbandar, Kutiyana and Barda area. As Sarman Jadeja’s stature grew, so did the number of members in his gang. He tried his hand in transportation, construction, mining, government jobs, corporate work, etc.
Sarman also used to help the people of Porbandar on auspicious occasions. Fulfilling educational or health treatment related needs. With his help many Mers settled abroad and his brother Bhura was one of them. Therefore, Sarman’s impression became like ‘Robin Hood’.
When Pandurang Athavale’s Swadhyaya movement spread to the villages of Saurashtra, Sarman Jadeja left the path of crime. However, some locals deny the change of heart.
The lane of crime is a ‘one-way’, in which one can enter but cannot leave. He has been murdered due to old enmity. ‘Sarman’s fall, Santok’s rise’ happened in the world of crime.
At that time many gangs came into existence in Porbandar and bloody wars were played for businesses like illegal mining, occupation of sea gates, transportation etc.
As long as Sarman was alive, the Santok sisters were living like normal housewives. Within a few months of the death of the husband, the father-like brother-in-law died. The beloved was in London. At this stage she decided to take over the gang and business.
First of all she decided to take revenge for the murder of her husband and all the people involved in the murder of Sarman Munja were ‘accounted for’.
By the mid-1980s-90s, Porbandar was ruled by the fear of Santok ‘sister’ and her son and friends who would roam around in an open jeep like a scene from a movie.
A project was also initiated to make a film on the life of Santok’s husband Sarman Jadeja, with Sanjay Dutt playing the lead role. But the project could not take off.
Santokben Jadeja became MLA from Kutiyana seat and won with a record majority. After this, he did not climb the steps of the assembly, but his influence on the seat always remained. After that, his son Kandhal carried forward this legacy.
Kandhal Jadeja has been MLA from Kutiyana seat since 2012. Before him, his mother and uncle also reached the assembly from the same seat.
The situation reversed in the 1980s. Congress (I) candidate Mer Mahant Vijaydas was elected unopposed. He was elected once again in the 1985 election.
Chimanbhai Patel broke away from the Congress and founded the Janata Dal. He needed candidates who could win.
At this time, Santokben was elected to the seat of Kutiyana. The Santok sisters reached the assembly with a lead of 75 percent of valid votes. They got 41 thousand 909 votes, while the second-placed Congress candidate got only 5 thousand 359 votes. The BJP candidate came fourth with 475 votes, while an independent candidate came third.
Before Santokben came to the Kutiyana seat, this seat was a stronghold of the Congress.
Before the 1995 assembly elections, the political landscape of Gujarat changed, which also raised doubts about Santokben’s political future.
Her political mentor Chimanbhai Patel had died. He was succeeded by Majibald Mehta, who also participated in the country’s freedom movement. His tenure was very short, but during this time he gave a free hand to the police. Then came Keshubhai Patel’s government which wiped out the Santokben gang in Porbandar and Rajkot.
A crackdown began against the illegal liquor business in Ahmedabad, Jamnagar and Kutch districts (including Devbhoomi Dwarka at that time).
Cases were registered under several sections of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) ranging from threats to family and gang members, possession of arms, murder, attempt to murder, extortion, extortion etc. to TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act).
In the 1995 assembly election, Santokben’s favourite Bhura Munja Kadcha contested and won. There was a rift in the Jadeja family. There were differences between Santok behan and Bhura Munja.
In the assembly elections held in 1998 amid political instability, the public gave a majority to the BJP. BJP candidate Karsanbhai Odedara won from this seat. He defeated Bhura Munja’s wife Hiral.
In 2002, the Congress fielded Mahant Bharat Kumar, son of Mahant Vijaydasji.
, while Bhura Munja contested on a Samajwadi Party ticket. However, Karsanbhai Odedara won and in 2007 he also made a hat-trick of victory. In 2007, Bhura Munja again contested as an independent, but he had to be content with the third position.
In 2012, Santokben’s son Kandhal won over the BJP candidate with a lead of 18 thousand 474 (16.03 percent) votes. In 2017, this lead increased to 23 thousand 709 (20.72 percent of valid votes).
After 1995, the BJP government of Keshubhai Patel kept working to change the equation of power and turn the equation of power in its favor. The pair of young IPS officer Satish Verma and Sukhdev Singh Jhala started breaking the back of one gang after another.
Complaints also started coming against Santokben, which people did not dare to overcome. Santokbe was imprisoned. The sons had to flee. Action was also taken against dear Bhura Munja.
Santokbe had to leave Porbandar and come to Rajkot, while Bhura Munja made Gandhinagar his hideout.
Kandhal Jadeja’s second wife is Manisha. This is his second marriage. When the sun was blazing on Santokben in the afternoon, Kandhal got married to Rekha. At that time many ministers of Gujarat cabinet, high officials of police and government machinery were present and they also did a bindaas dance.
As Santokbehan grew up and the sons were absconding, they used to take the help of daughter-in-law Rekha in taking business decisions. Meanwhile, Rekha was murdered at her residence in Rajkot.
Rekha’s dear Karan’s name came up in the police investigation.
According to media reports, Karan did this out of jealousy because the Santok sisters were trusting their daughter-in-law more. Another theory floated in the media reports.
Kandhal married Manisha after Rekha’s death and during Santokbehn’s lifetime. After Santokbehn’s death in March 2011, Kandhal became her political successor.
In 2005, BJP corporator Keshu Odedara was murdered, for which Kandhal blamed his brothers and others.
In 2007, Kandhal Jadeja was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Rajkot under police surveillance, when he absconded one night. In this case, the Rajkot court sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000. Also, a time limit of one month was given to appeal against the verdict in the higher court. After being caught again in 2009, Kandhal spent 19 months in jail in the case.
In 2011, the court acquitted Kandhal in the Odedara murder case. However, about 10 cases were going on. Kandhal’s case was fought by Ansh Bhardwaj, son of BJP MP Abhay Bhardwaj in Rajya Sabha. Abhay Bhardwaj came into the limelight by fighting the case of the accused in the riots that broke out after the Godhra incident. (Google translation from Gujarati)
