[sacw] SACW #1 | 06 Mar. 02

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire - Dispatch #1 | 06 March 2002

Hindu-Muslim Violence Imperils Secular India

__________________________

#1. Resolution Adopted A Citizens Convention in New Delhi
#2. Carnage in Gujarat: Citizens' Initiative for Justice & Peace
- contributions for relief ...
- Citizens Appeal to the President of India
#3. Update from India - Sonia Jabbar
#4. India in crisis - Coming apart at the seams (Sunanda K. Datta-Ray)
#5. Hindu Justifies Mass Killings of Muslims in Reprisal Riots (Celia=20
W. Dugger)
#6. Lucknow Protest march against fascism
#7. India braced for new violence as Hindu group refuses to give way=20
(Luke Harding)
#8. Gujarat Chief Minister Protects BJP, VHP men (Deepal Trevedie)
#9. Debate rages over bias in victims' compensation (RAJIV SHAH)
#10. Gujarat: Liberal but never secular - Communal Factory (Ranjona Banerji=
)
#11. The chasm widens - Diaspora Speak (Rashmee Z Ahmed)
#12. Sputnik Kilambi reports from India.
#13. Godhra and After - Call for Sanity (P.K.Sasidharan)

________________________

#1.

[ About 500 to 700 hundred people came and participated in both the=20
discussion and the citizens march. Leaders of many political parties=20
across the political spectrum spoke at the convention held in JNU,=20
New Delhi, India].

Resolution Adopted A Citizens Convention in New Delhi
5 March 2002

Mass killings in Gujarat as a follow up to the VHP-led threat to=20
construct the temple at Ayodhya in blatant disregard of the rule of=20
law is serious enough. These are rendered all the more serious in=20
that they were carried out right under the nose of state=20
administration which took no pre-emptive action to bring the=20
situation promptly under control. There is more than adequate=20
evidence that the Government deliberately delayed action to allow the=20
dance of death to be performed in towns after towns and localities=20
after localities. Such blatantly partisan attitude of, and abdication=20
of constitutional responsibility by, the Government resulting in a=20
total breakdown of law and order, is condemnable in itself. What is=20
even more shocking is that the Central Government has also abetted=20
the serious lapses on the part of the state government.

The people of Gujarat, particularly members of the minority=20
community, continue to live in fear of death and the situation is far=20
from normal. The Central Government should wake up to this ground=20
reality and abandon its partisan attitude to intervene in the=20
situation in keeping with its promise of good governance. Towards=20
this end, this Convention of concerned Citizens demands:

1. Army be immediately deployed in areas which continue to be=20
disturbed. Non-availability of adequate forces should not be used as=20
an excuse to extend protection to all areas.
2. The Gujarat Government be immediately dismissed for total=20
breakdown of constitutional machinery.
3. The VHP and the Bajrang Dal be banned forthwith for terror and violence.
4. Relief and rehabilitation should be immediately provided to=20
victims of violence.
5. A CBI enquiry is immediately instituted and those responsible for=20
terror be prosecuted.

The convention resolves that efforts should be made to appoint a=20
People's Commission to go into the communal incidents in Gujarat and=20
to submit its report.

This convention resolves to transform itself into a protest march for=20
implementation of these demands.

_____

#2.

CARNAGE IN GUJARAT: Citizens' Initiative for Justice & Peace

Update: March 5, 2002

Riot victims being treated like prisoners

Six days after brutal violence rocked Gujarat state, especially Ahmedabad
city, the sheer scale and dimension of the tragedy and it's lasting impact
is being callously rejected by the ruling state government. The total loss
of life has been put at 500, but our estimate is that the casualties may be
closer to a staggering figure of 2,000.

While Rs. 2 lakh as compensation to the surviving relatives of the victims
of the Godhra tragedy was immediately announced, the Gujarat government is
revealing it's sectarian approach by simply not declaring payment of
compensation to the victims of violence post-Godhra. We are demanding that
an identical compensation amount be announced for families of the other
victims and that areas that are today housing thousands of internally
displaced persons be declared as relief camps.

Fifteen make-shift camps located in different parts of Ahmedabad, all withi=
n
Muslim bastis, house at least 35,000 internally displaced persons. It is
feared that this figure may touch 50,000 once a complete survey of the city
is carried out. These figures do not reflect the figures of displaced
persons from other towns and villages.

The condition at the relief camps is pathetic, every resident is suffering
from mental trauma; the government and administration is treating them like
prisoners in concentration camps: the survivors are not allowed to step out
or move about freely, even for basic commodities. The immediate need is for
milk, oil, grains, rice, tea and temporary building materials like mandaps
etc since at the moment the survivors are housed in make shift accomodation
in extremely unsanitary conditions.

Many of the survivors suffer from burns and other serious injuries;
medicines and medical attention and health care is the need of the hour.
There is also the genuine fear of an epidemic breaking out. Individuals and
groups who can arrange for such commodities to be sent to Gujarat are urged
to do so. We can provide details of collection and distribution centres.
However if you prefer to send cash from which material can be bought, we
also enclose details of the agency to where this may be urgently despatched=
.

Individuals and citizens' forums in Ahmedabad have together formed a Citize=
n
's Initiative for the collection and distribution of humanitarian relied in
a coordinated manner.

The People's Union for Human Rights (PUHR) along with many other
organisations will be engaged in the task of documenting details on the
extensive loss of life, missing persons and the attacks on people and their
properties to assist the proposed People's Judicial Commission of Inquiry
into the violence in Gujarat. To be led by Justices Krishna Iyer, Hosbet
Suresh and S.M. Daud will be initiated soon.

Please demand from the President, the Central Government and the Gujarat
Government that:
- Adequate Reparation for Loss of Life and Property for ALL victims of
Gujarat violence.
- Declaration of Camps of Internally Displaced Persons as Relief Camps.
- State takes complete responsibility for the Relief and Rehabilitation of
Affected persons.
- Transparent and Speedy Rehabilitation of Survivors.

Meanwhile please send your contributions by cheque or draft to
Gujarat Education Society (Attention Father Cedric Prakash)
C/o Prashant, Post Box 4002
Ahmedabad 380 009

Father Cedric Prakash Teesta Setalvad
Prashant, PUHR Communalism Combat, PUHR

ANNEXURE:
DETAILS OF RELIEF CAMPS
(Ahmedabad City Alone)

Given below are the relief camps that have been contacted by the NGOs
working in various areas of Ahmedabad till today.

Chartoda Kabrasthan (Gomtipur) 3,000 people
Madhavbai Mill Compound (Gomtipur) 3,000 people
Nagoripatel Ni Challi (Saraspur) 1,000 people
Amanchowk 4,500 people
Sundaram Nagar (Bapunagar)
Gayatri Society (Bapunagar) 2,500 people
Shah Alam Dargah 5,000 people
Bibi Talav 1,500 people
Al-Medina 1,500 people
Al-Kuba 1,500 people
Alif Nagar (Around Shah Alam-Vatva Road)1,500 people
Shahibaug area 3,000 people
Shahpur 3,000 people
Odhav area 2,000 people

All these numbers are approximate; however, there are several other camps i=
n
the city (all in Muslim Bastis) which have not been reached by the NGOs as
yet. The actual numbers of Muslim refugees in the camps can safely be put a=
t
about 50,000.

CARNAGE IN GUJARAT: Citizens' Initiative for Justice & Peace

Update: March 5, 2002

Appeal to the President of India

March 5, 2002
To
Shri K. R. Narayanan
President of India

Fax 011-3017290

Dear Sir,

The situation in Gujarat is desperate. It is a tragedy of appalling human
proportions. Earlier, the State indulged in direct and systematic acts of
murder, terror and targeting of economic properties of the minority
community in Gujarat. Now it is actively preventing relief and
rehabilitation from reaching the affected areas; relief camps in the city
that are being treated like concentration camps.

Six days after brutal violence has rocked Gujarat state, especially
Ahmedabad city, the sheer scale and dimension of the tragedy and it's
lasting impact is being callously rejected by the State Government. Though
the loss of life has been officially placed at around 500, our estimate is
that it may touch a staggering figure of 2,000.

While Rs. 2 lakh an compensation was immediately announced to the surviving
relatives of the victims of the Godhra tragedy, the Gujarat government is
revealing it's sectarian approach by simply not declaring payment of
compensation to the victims of violence post-Godhra. We are collectively
demanding that such compensation be announced and the areas that are today
housing thousands of internally displaced persons be declared as relief
camps.

Fifteen make-shift camps located in different parts of Ahmedabad, all withi=
n
Muslim bastis, house at least 35,000 internally displaced persons. It is
feared that this figure may touch 50,000 once a complete survey of the city
is carried out. These figures do not reflect the figures of displaced
persons from other towns and villages.

The condition at these relief camps is pathetic, everyone is suffering from
mental trauma; the government and administration is treating them like
prisoners in concentration camps: the survivors are not allowed to step out
or move about freely, even for basic commodities. The immediate need is for
milk, oil, grains, rice, tea and temporary building materials like mandaps
etc., since at the moment the survivors are housed in make shift
accomodation in extremely unsanitary conditions.

Many of the survivors suffer from burns and other serious injuries;
medicines and medical attention and health care is the need of the hour.
There is also the genuine fear of an epidemic breaking out.

The situation is so desperate that even the bodies of the deceased --
brothers, sisters and children killed in the most brutal and inhuman
manner -- have not been denied the right of to a dignified departure. Bodie=
s
lie in the most de-humanised state and the State is refusing to look into
this.

Sir, it would be in order that in your capacity as the President of India,
the Constitutional Head of the Indian State, you make a generous
contribution from the President's Fund for the Reparation of the Loss of
Life, Dignity and Property of the citizens - religious minorities-in
Gujarat. What Gujarat, especially the city of Ahmedabad, experienced over
the past week was an utter and complete breakdown of constitutional
authority. The moral and physical response to the scale of the tragedy need=
s
your active intervention in every way possible.

Shabana Azmi Javed Akhtar
Member of Parliament Poet, artiste

Girishbhai Patel Teesta Setalvad, Javed Anand
Senior jurist, Lok Adhikar Sangh Communalism Combat & PUHR

D.N. Pathak Father Cedric Prakash
President, PUCL Gujarat Prashant, PUHR, Ahmedabad

Indubhai Jani Rajendra Prasad
PUHR, Gujarat SAHMAT

Dr Hanif Lakdawala Sheba George,
IFIE, PUHR, Ahmedabad PUHR, SAHRWARU, NAWO

Vivan Sundaram Shabnam Hashmi
SAHMAT SAHMAT

Sushobha Barve Gautam Thakker
Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation National Bank
Employees Federation

Father Francis Parmar Rajkumari Pariyani
Movement for Secular Democracy SAHRWARU

Sophia Khan Wilfred D'Costa
Vikas Adhayan Kendra INSAAF

K. Stalin Shabnam Virmani
Drishti, Ahmedabad Drishti, Ahmedabad

Sejal Daud Meera Goradia, Arvind Lodaya
Anandi

_____

#3.

06 Mar 2002 01:28:37 +0530
From: sonia jabbar

Dear Friends,

The ferocity of the carnage has, thankfully, abated....but its not=20
over by far. Friends from Gujrat say that the death toll could be as=20
high as 2,000. They have already recorded cases of terrible sexual=20
violence that have thus far gone unreported. The situation of the=20
survivors is grim with 35-50,000 displaced in Ahmedabad alone. They=20
say that the condition in these camps are as horrible as=20
concentration camps. The survivors lack even the most basic=20
commodities, and need immediate medical care which they are not=20
getting.

EXCERPT FROM TEESTA & SUSHOBA'S LATEST REPORT FROM GUJRAT:

What is truly chilling about both the nature and scale of the=20
violence is that it was systematic genocide, the ethnic cleansing of=20
a minority community accompanied by systematic sexual violence=20
against women and children. Besides, the method of killing reached=20
barbaric and de-humane proportions. This has left the hapless=20
inmates of the relief camps victims of deep and bitter trauma and=20
utterly terror striken. While intellectuals debate about the nature=20
of the backlash, the survivors of the brute violence are so mutely=20
terrorised that they simply await the next round of targeted terror.

The issue of the dead being given a dignified burial looms large.=20
Today 129 bodies at Dariakhanki Ghumbat, Shahibag were given a mass=20
burial around 5 p.m. There are reports of 150 bodies in a mutilated=20
state lying in a village at Naroda pattiya, just outside Ahmedabad.=20
The violence in and around Surat continued today and two women=20
belonging to the minority community were beaten to death in a village=20
just outside Godhra.

The size of the mobs who were encouraged by chief minister Narendra=20
Modi=92s verbal statements and sanction to roam the streets was between=20
5-15000 and the scale of violence and barbarism suggestive of trained=20
trishul-wielding cadres. There appears enough evidence to suggest the=20
permanent existence of such a cadre, approximating 20-30,000, on the=20
payrole of the Bajrang Dal-VHP-BJP, who have received training in=20
physical attack and mental brainwahsing in a dehumanising hatred. It=20
is otherwise simply impossible to explain how in the space of 72=20
hours, a 15-20 per cent minority in the state has been brutalised=20
through violence and economically crippled, too. This is why we=20
appeal to one and all to refer to the recent Gujarat violence as=20
ethnic cleansing and genocide. The violence that the state witnessed=20
was not just another communal riot.

What was most startlingly evident as we returned for the day was the=20
dual reality of Ahmedabad, a tale of two cities. The unaffected Hindu=20
came out and went about his business even as in at least 15 areas of=20
the same city, 35-50,000 of it=92s residents lay shaken, morally and=20
physically broken. Not a shop was open in these ghettos, people=20
cannot step outside their homes or relief camps, for food, medicines=20
or clothing. What is the fate of us as a people if we are unable to=20
generate an adequate enough response countrywide to this bitter=20
reality of two cities?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

We need to keep the pressure up on the government to provide for the=20
survivors. Please flood the PM & Home Minister's offices with angry=20
faxes & emails.

Shri.A.B.Vajpayee
Prime Minister of India
Parliament House, New Delhi-110001
Fax- 011 - 3016857, 3019545 Email: vajpayee@s...

Shri.L.K.Advani
Minister for Home Affairs,
North Block, Central Secretariat, New Delhi - 110 001
Phone: 011-3011011, 3010161 Fax: 011-3015750, 3017763
Email: <mhaweb@m...>, <advanilk@s...>

The government is talking of making a deal with the VHP. They may=20
allow a shilanyas puja as part of the deal to defer the actual=20
construction until June. This would be suicidal as it would bring the=20
VHP a hard-earned partial victory but a victory nonetheless. A reward=20
for the trauma they have put the nation and particularly the=20
minorities of Gujrat through. We can no longer fool ourselves about=20
how serious the situation is. If the government takes this decision,=20
I think the time of reckoning will have arrived. We cannot under any=20
circumstances allow this to happen. Not only will this set a terrible=20
precedent but will embolden the VHP to defy every institution of this=20
country to go ahead with the temple construction in June. The=20
Shilanyas would be a giant leap towards their goal. What will we do?

I think the time for the lighting of candles and marching to Jantar=20
Mantar is over. We must now think big. Think creatively. If this=20
happens, we must move to Ayodhya, and confront the VHP hate machine=20
head on. Can we do it? Do we have it in us? I don't know. The choices=20
are few. If we decide not to, we may as well prepare for the long=20
fascist night ahead of us.

There has been tremendous pressure on the press which finally=20
responded spiritedly by a well-attended march against communalism and=20
censorship yesterday. Apart from chastising the government on it=20
repressive attitude the journalists also discussed ways in which to=20
cleanse the media of communal bias.

Today, some 30 Opposition MPs attended a meeting and peace march at=20
the JNU city centre, which was packed. Fiery speeches were made by=20
the Opposition leaders. Calls for the resignation of Modi and Advani=20
were made to the cheering audience. I should have felt good but I=20
didn't. They could've called for Ram Lalla's resignation for all it=20
mattered. The point is that it took the Opposition five days to put=20
aside their differences and come together. When they finally did,=20
they did exactly what we, and other citizens like us had already=20
done: criticised the handling of the crisis and appealed to the PM=20
for effective action. But why did they not demand the resignation of=20
Narendra Modi? What obscene political calculation went into the=20
criticism which stopped short of this demand? Why did they not, like=20
hundreds of citizens like us, demand for the banning of the VHP?=20
Somnath Chatterjee of the CPI(M) said in an interview that "in=20
principle they are against the imposition of President's rule in any=20
state." This is a bogus, puritanical argument considering that the=20
application of this principle is allowing the murder and increased=20
suffering of thousands of Indian citizens. When a principle cannot=20
save a single human life, it needs to be re-examined, and perhaps=20
discarded.

What kind of a nation is this where we cannot turn to the executive=20
nor expect succor from the Opposition? What are we to do? How are we=20
to ask the Muslims to show restraint, to not think of retaliation.=20
Where are they to turn in this desperate situation? Is there no=20
leadership among one billion people that can exert moral authority in=20
this land? These are vexing, painful questions but they are staring=20
us in the face and need to be answered.
----------------------------------------

PROGRAMME
Tomorrow, Wednesday 6 March, the Left parties have organised a large=20
demo at Jantar Mantar at noon. they have vowed to get 500,000 people=20
on the streets all over the country. Lets add to their numbers.
On the 7 of March at 4:30 there will be a large (hopefully) planning=20
meet at the Indian Social Institute. Please do attend as we need to=20
strategise for the coming week. Crucial decisions need to be clinched=20
like the team going to Gujrat, the campaign in Delhi, writing of the=20
leaflet and other communication materials, fund raising, Ayodhya.
----------------------------------------------------

News from other parts of the country:
In Bombay friends held a dharna at hutatmama chowk yesterday.
>From Jaipur:

We have held a series of meetings since the 28th and
the group is growing. On the 28th we tried to dialogue
with senior BJP leaders to stop the bandh call or else
ensure peace. We also are in constant touch with the
18 Muslim orgnaisations who have set up 4 control
rooms to monitor the communal situation. We also had a
series of meetings with the Intelligence people
inorder to understand their preparation to prevent
something like Gujarat from happening.

Yesterday, on the day of the BJP / VHP Rajasthan Bandh
we held a shanti sabha in the centre of town. More
than eighty people turned up to protest against the
carnage in Gujarat and demanded the dismissal of
Narendra Modi. We also went around town monitoring the
place particulary around the juma - ki- namaz period.

Today we met in one of the bastis from where riots
start. It was very well attended. We are planning to
hold a big rally with left and other secular parties
on the 6th of March.

The theme for 8th March is Women for Peace and
Development: No War No Terrorism.

Yes I agree no sincere effort fo peace goes waste,
however small it be.

regards, Kavita Srivastava

>From Hyderabad:
Yesterday a few of us met at DDS office to think of what we can do=20
here at Hyderabad-not only to condemn the happenings in Gujarat but=20
to pre-emptt, prevent any such spread which could potentially happen=20
in the city. Particularly in the wake of the latest call byVHP that=20
they are determined to go ahead with their plans of March 15th, it is=20
imperative to act. 4 ideas were discussed: 1) Press statement=20
condemning the contiuing violence unabated, and the attitude of the=20
govt. in this matter.(This is to be issued today)

2) Interventions with communities in sensitive areas of the city:=20
Teams of volunteers will visit and meet with community members in=20
communally sensitive areas identified in the Bastis around the old=20
city and other parts. They will visit these areas regularly for the=20
next many days, with the aim to set up local Ekta, Aman and Peace=20
committees in each locality.

3) Prayers for Peace: An interfaith evening of prayers, to be=20
organised on the Tank Bund on 7th March between 5-7pm

4) An appeal to all organisations celebrating Womens day on March=20
8th, to dedicate the day for communal harmony.

We are having a follow up meeting to crystallize the plans, and other=20
ideas this afternoon at 4 pm at COVA's office

Address: 20-4-10, Near Bus stand, Charminar, Hyderabad-2 and request=20
that as many of you possible participate in the meeting.We cannot=20
allow this madness to spread and engulf us all.We proposed that all=20
actions get done under the banner of People For Peace

regards

Sagari Ramdas

-------------------

Best of all was a thousand-strong protest in Ahmedabad today. From=20
Teesta & Sushoba's account:

More than 1,500 Ahmedabadis from all walks of life took part in a=20
peace march organised by a section of civil society. The march which=20
began at Kochrab Ashram, were Mahatma Gandhi spent his early years,=20
ended about five kilometres away, at the Sabarmati Ashram. The silent=20
peace marchers collectively articulated a pressure on the state=20
government for the immediate restoration of peace.

Justice and Reparation

A team of the People=92s Union for Human Rights will be visiting=20
different parts of the city of Ahmedabad and the state of Gujarat to=20
document the deep extent of loss of life and property. Other groups=20
are also collating similar information. This would collectively be=20
the groundwork for a people=92s Judicial Commission into the Ethnic=20
Cleansing in Gujarat that would be headed by Justice Krishna Iyer and=20
of which Justice Suresh and Girishbhai Patel would be a part. The=20
detailed collation of material and documentation has already begun.

Thats it for now. Please send news of actions from your part of the country=
.

warmest regards
sj
_____

#4.

The International Herald Tribune Monday, March 4, 2002

Coming apart at the seams - India in crisis
by Sunanda K. Datta-Ray
Full Text at http://www.iht.com/articles/49986.html.

_____

#5.

The New York Times
March 5, 2002
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/05/international/asia/05INDI.html

Hindu Justifies Mass Killings of Muslims in Reprisal Riots

By CELIA W. DUGGER

PHOTO: Amit Bhargava for The New York Times
An injured Muslim rested at a camp in Ahmedabad. A Hindu leader=20
defended the reprisal attacks on Muslims as "the end of toleration."

AHMEDABAD, India, March 4 - Harish Bhai Bhatt is a jolly-looking man=20
with a round belly and a bushy mustache that turns up like a smile,=20
but his words would chill the soul of any Muslim in India.

According to Mr. Bhatt, a firebrand leader of the fundamentalist=20
World Hindu Council, killing hundreds of innocent Muslims in the past=20
five days of rioting was necessary. All Muslims had to be taught a=20
lesson after a Muslim mob burned a train loaded with the council's=20
members, immolating 58 people.

"Now, it is the end of toleration," he said, a revolver on his hip.=20
"If the Muslims do not learn, it will be very harmful for them."

Mr. Bhatt's words cannot be dismissed as empty threats. The council's=20
workers are widely thought to have helped instigate the riots that=20
have killed more than 500 people, mostly Muslims, since Thursday -=20
though council leaders deny it.

The council is part of the same Hindu nationalist family as the=20
Bharatiya Janata Party, which rules this state, Uttar Pradesh, and=20
heads the national governing coalition. Despite calls from Muslim and=20
secular political leaders to ban the council and arrest its leaders,=20
senior party leaders have tried in the last few days to strike a=20
behind-the-scenes bargain with the council - so far without success.

Today the council defied Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's wishes=20
and vowed that on March 15 its workers will begin building a temple=20
to Ram, the manly incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu, on the site of=20
a mosque demolished by Hindu zealots in the north Indian town of=20
Ayodhya. The trainload of Hindus attacked by Muslims on Wednesday=20
were returning from a ceremony that precedes the raising of the=20
temple.

The council's temple crusade, the most incendiary issue in=20
Hindu-Muslim relations, has the potential to cause more riots. It=20
also presents the Bharatiya Janata Party with a moment of reckoning.=20
Will it do as its secular allies require and stop the council from=20
erecting hand-carved pillars at Ayodhya on March 15? Or will it waver=20
when confronted with arresting council members, and even firing on=20
them, as they defy court orders?

The party's second-most-powerful leader, Home Minister L. K. Advani,=20
led the movement for a temple on the site of the Babri mosque=20
culminating in its destruction in 1992 and the worst Hindu-Muslim=20
rioting since the nation was created in 1947.

The temple crusade was pivotal in the party's rise to power. It=20
polarized the Hindu-Muslim vote and helped consolidate support from=20
Hindus, who are usually politically fractured on caste lines.

Twelve years ago, Mr. Advani defied Prime Minister V. P. Singh and=20
refused to accept that the temple could be built only if the courts=20
ordered it or the Muslims agreed to it.

The party withdrew from Mr. Singh's coalition on this issue, causing=20
his government to fall. Mr. Singh savored the irony this weekend as=20
he sat cross-legged in his home in New Delhi. He said he warned party=20
leaders at the time, "Someday you'll sit in this chair and you'll=20
have to say the same things."

Sure enough, on the very day the train burned last week, Mr. Advani=20
told council leaders that the temple could only be built if the=20
courts ordered it or the Muslims agreed to it.

The council's true believers feel a sense of betrayal at Mr. Advani's=20
shift. Ashutosh Varshney, author of a book about Hindu-Muslim=20
conflict in India ("Ethnic Conflict and Civic Life," Yale University=20
Press, 2002), said the recent riots were rooted not just in the=20
desire to teach Muslims a lesson, but in the Hindu right wing's=20
desire "to throw a challenge to Vajpayee's moderate political stance=20
towards Ayodhya and Hindu-Muslim relations."

The Hindu nationalists, tainted by the 1992 riots, had prided=20
themselves on the relative peace during their years in power. The=20
riots here shattered that claim.

The failure of the police here to protect Muslims from rampaging=20
Hindu mobs has prompted many to charge that the state's chief=20
minister, Narendra Modi - a hard-core Hindu nationalist - cynically=20
allowed the riots to happen.

Alluding to recent election losses by the party, Shabana Azmi, a=20
Muslim member of Parliament, said, "Modi wants the rioting and arson=20
to continue because he believes this will consolidate the Hindu vote=20
bank."

The violence has physically scarred this city of 3.5 million, but the=20
corrosive anger of the Muslims will be even harder to repair. About=20
3,000 Muslims who fled their homes are living on the cement floors of=20
a school. These refugees in their own city seethe with rage and grief.

Mahboob Bee, who sat on the floor holding 6-month-old Afsana on her=20
lap, said she was separated from her husband, a mutton seller, and=20
their 2- year-old daughter in the chaos of the mob attack. She has no=20
idea whether they are alive.

As word spread that Hindus were trying to destroy the local mosque,=20
Salima Bano's 18-year-old son ran out of the house toward the action.=20
Mrs. Bano arrived in time to see him lean to pick up a stone, only to=20
be hit by a policeman's bullet.

The battle was so fierce that Mrs. Bano was afraid to take her son to=20
the hospital. Instead, she took him home, where he bled to death.

As the surviving residents of Naroda-Patia gathered round to talk,=20
the men were angriest. Their hands shook and their eyes teared as=20
they spoke. They said they knew the man who led the mob that attacked=20
them. His name was Bipin Panchal and he was a local rickshaw salesman=20
and a World Hindu Council supporter.

"If there's anybody responsible for this incident is it the police=20
and Bipin," said Abul Hasan Ansari, whose paintbrush franchise was=20
wiped out in the fires.

In different parts of Ahmedabad, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh residents=20
have said in interviews in recent days that the council and its youth=20
wing, the Bajrang Dal, had fomented and in some cases led the riots.

Mr. Bhatt, vice president of the state branch of the World Hindu=20
Council and all-India vice president of the Bajrang Dal, denied that=20
the groups participated in the riots, even as he justified the=20
killing.

He proudly described himself as "the first enemy of Muslims" and=20
posed with a three-pointed trident - actually a vicious-looking knife=20
- that each Bajrang Dal member is given.

______

#6.

The Times of India TUESDAY, MARCH 05, 2002

Protest march against fascism
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
LUCKNOW: Eminent citizens, theatre activists, artists, litterateurs=20
and representatives of IPTA, Jan Sanskriti Manch, Pragatisheel Lekhak=20
Sangh, AISA, Revolutionary Youth Association and several others took=20
out a protest march against fascism on Monday.
The activists and protesters who began their march from the GPO=20
crossing, carrying placards, reached the Aminabad park where they=20
held a meeting .
The speakers demanded that the guilty of the Godhra killings should=20
be identified and severely punished, the Gujarat government should be=20
dismissed and, above all, the organisations like the Vishwa Hindu=20
Parishad and the Bajrang Dal should be banned.
Roop Rekha Verma, former vice-chancellor of Lucknow university, told=20
Times News Network that the situation might take an ugly turn, if=20
suitable steps were not taken. She said those associated with the=20
protest march would take out morning marches to awaken people about=20
the impending dangers. The former vice-chancellor said that if=20
religious fanaticism was not curbed, the people would suffer=20
immensely.
Prominent among those who participated in the march, besides Roop=20
Rekha Verma, were Akhilesh Mishra, Surya Mohan Kulshrestha, Mridula=20
Bhradwaj, Ajay Singh, Ajanta Lohit, Rakesh and Veda Rakesh.

______

#7.

The Guardian Tuesday March 5, 2002

Extremists press on with temple plans
India braced for new violence as Hindu group refuses to give way
Luke Harding in Ahmedabad
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4367763,00.html

_____

#8.

The Asian Age 5 Feb 2002

MODI PROTECTS BJP, VHP MEN
By Deepal Trevedie
Ahmedabad, March 4
The Gujarat government is deliberately avoiding the arrests of at=20
least 150 VHP, Bajrang Dal and BJP workers whose names figure in=20
first information reports filed by the police for directly leading=20
mobs, slaughtering Muslims and indulging in bloody violence. [...].
http://www.hclinfinet.com/2002/MAR/WEEK1/3/AAOInsideNN1.jsp

_____

#9.

The Times of India Tuesday, March 5, 2002
Debate rages over bias in victims' compensation
RAJIV SHAH
http://203.199.93.7/Articleshow.asp?art_id=3D2854765

_____

#10.

The Times of India TUESDAY, MARCH 05, 2002

Gujarat: Liberal but never secular
COMMUNAL FACTORY / RANJONA BANERJI

[ SUNDAY, MARCH 03, 2002 12:01:15 AM ]
The vast majority of kar sevaks who have been working in Ayodhya at=20
the VHP's temple workshop come from Gujarat. They were there 10 years=20
ago too.
In 1989, Gujarat gave L K Advani a warm send-off as he set off on his=20
rath yatra from Somnath. And they were coming back from Ayodhya on=20
February 27, when they were gruesomely attacked in Godhra.
What makes Gujarat a happy hunting ground for India's communal=20
forces? Is it history or temperament or just circumstance?
Surat-based Vidyut Joshi, former vice-chancellor of Bhavnagar=20
University, is clear - society in Gujarat has not yet risen to=20
secularism. "Gujarat was never secular. Liberal perhaps because of=20
its business ethos, but never secular."
The movements of the Hindu middle-class in Gujarat, unlike the reform=20
movements in the south or the rationalist movement of Bengal, were=20
"for temporal matters or of temperance," he says.
Not everyone is quite so dismissive. Praveen Patel, a sociologist=20
with Vadodara's MS University feels, "The social bonds which=20
integrate society have become weak. Society works on shared values,=20
when these do not provide consensus, the bonds weaken. As economic=20
exchanges are not reciprocated, minorities feel alienated."
Patel says that accepted forms of authority - parents, judges, the=20
law, the police - have become too tolerant and too permissive of=20
unacceptable behaviour.
"Violence in societies is aggravated by economic crises and Gujarat=20
is in such a crisis, as is the rest of the country. People are=20
divided and frustrated and what is latent becomes manifest." The=20
large number of temple builders from Gujarat he attributes to this=20
frustrated class.
Yet, it is a moot point as to just how peaceful or non-violent or=20
secular Gujarat has been in the past. Godhra saw communal riots in=20
1927, a time when the town was almost equally divided between Hindus=20
and Muslims, with the latter having a slight edge.
Ahmedabad had riots in 1946, after Jinnah's direct action call. At=20
that time, the Congress actively sent out its workers to appeal for=20
calm. The best-known case of the time was of Vasant Hegeshte and=20
Rajab Ali, who went out to appeal to mobs and were killed by rioters=20
in Jamalpur.
But it is 1969 that is seen as the worst case for Ahmedabad, a major=20
turning point towards the current communal atmosphere. President of=20
Indian Historical Conference, Dwijendra Tripathi points to the change=20
in the Indian political value system after the death of Nehru, where=20
principles were replaced by the search for caste-based votebanks.
When the Congress, in the '70s and '80s started looking for votes=20
under Madhavsinh Solanki's KHAM theory, upper castes began to veer=20
around to the BJP. He says, "The Right knew it would not get Muslims=20
or Dalits. They took the leftovers. The upper castes are addicted to=20
traditional religious values. As the Congress became weaker, they=20
became stronger."
Tripathi also looks at Gujarat's support for the temple movement in=20
Ayodhya, "If you want to build a temple, you want money, financial=20
and moral support. Will you get it in Bihar, Eastern UP, Uttaranchal,=20
certainly not Bengal? No, you come to the rich business community of=20
Gujarat, who will provide visible and vocal support."
Social commentator Prakash N Shah lays the blame straight at the=20
BJP's door, for creating this situation in Gujarat. "For 30 years,=20
the people of Gujarat have been in search of an alternative to the=20
Congress, they have stumbled upon the BJP. The BJP is not the first=20
love of the Gujarati temperament," says Shah.
"There were social divisions earlier, but the freedom movement=20
provided a bond," he says. Gandhi, Patel and Jay Prakash Narayan=20
worked at building that bond, but after them it was political=20
opportunism.
Bhatt looks at the offspring of the Sangh Parivars, "who spread venom=20
against the minorities, abuse them, beat them, which culminated in=20
Godhra." Condemning the Godhra attack, Bhatt also says: "What is=20
happening does not represent the culture of Gujarat."
Misguided young people, fanned by the propaganda of hatred, rich=20
people looking for a platform, politicians looking for money and=20
support - Gujarat right now seems to have all the required elements=20
for communal tension.

______

#11.

The Times of India

The chasm widens
DIASPORA SPEAK / RASHMEE Z AHMED
[ SUNDAY, MARCH 03, 2002 12:04:34 AM ]
Gujarat's tragedy is to have to bear its second earthquake in 13=20
months and unlike the first time, the Gujarati Diaspora - the bulk of=20
the overseas Indian community - is not galvanised into palliative=20
reaction.
Within hours of the awful shuddering of the earth on January 26 last=20
year, telephone lines up and down Britain were buzzing with anxious=20
Gujaratis - Hindu and Muslim - sharing their grief, setting up relief=20
committees, preparing community action plans, joint statements and=20
other plodding administrative substitutes for coming to terms with=20
loss.
Within three days, the wealthiest of Gujarat's expatriate sons and=20
daughters had raised a staggering two million pounds, which would=20
eventually account for half the takings pledged to re-building homes=20
and lives. Overall, the UK's Gujarati Muslim contribution was to be a=20
healthy 500,000 pounds.
This time, it is all so tragically different. And deathly silent.=20
London has not linked the Patels from Vadodra and Dalals from Godhra=20
- the distance betwixt and between is greater than the 20 miles that=20
separate their east and north London homes.
So too Ahmedabad's Desais and Sareshwalas, drowning in their separate=20
wells of grief far from home in the gritty unromantic reality of life=20
in north-west England.
Each has a story to tell. But, they are not addressing each other.=20
Instead, a reflective Mr Sareshwala hears from a third person of the=20
Desais' fearful old mother, marooned alone, back home in her flat as=20
horrific images and sounds play on TV and smoke darkens the sky=20
outside.
The anxious Desais hear about Mrs Sareshwala's looted and burnt=20
Ahmedabad flat, the aunt and uncle who escaped with their lives and=20
nothing else, the family friend, former MP Ahsan Jaffrey, who was not=20
so lucky and died, as an international news headline.
Each listener bleeds for the other, but they do not reach out and=20
touch, or use their shared mother tongue to leaven the sorrow.=20
Overseas, in self-exile, the communal chasm is wider, deeper than at=20
home.
For now, they are railing at each other. The Muslims are accused of=20
insensitivity to the Hindus' pain, post-Godhra train assault. The=20
Hindus are blamed for arrogant tolerance of the targeted violence=20
against innocent members of the Muslim community.
Each is overwhelmingly right and totally wrong. And it matters. For=20
overseas Indian - read Non-Resident Gujarati. They are the engine of=20
growth for India Abroad.
More than Britain's 100,000 Gujarati Muslims, it is the 600,000=20
Gujarati Hindus who account for nearly all that is significant about=20
the one-million strong Indian community. If they are=20
backward-looking, there is no future for India International.
The Patels receive a telephone call from an appalled Muslim friend in=20
Godhra. Mr Sareshwala chats every day to loyal Hindu friends in=20
Ahmedabad, who are breaking the curfew to protect his family.
Sadly, it takes a real earthquake, registering 8.5 on the Richter=20
scale, to flatten towns as well as expatriate religious identity.

______

#12.

Free Speech Radio News March 4, 2002 (in Real Audio)

Almost 1,000 Dead in Western India
http://stream.realimpact.org/rihurl.ram?file=3Dwebactive/freespeech/fsrn200=
20304.ra&start=3D"4:57.6"

______

#13.

[5 March 2002]

Godhra and After - Call for Sanity
by Prof. P.K.Sasidharan
Sivakasi, TN. (India)

The communal conflagration into which the country is being pushed by=20
fundamentalist outfits like the VHP is terrifying but needs both=20
resistance from citizens and firm handling from the Government. That=20
is, if the Governments at the Centre and in the States believe that=20
governance means also an intolerance to prowling predators like the=20
VHP on a killing spree. The Home Minister and colleagues lose no=20
opportunity whatever to wax eloquent on terrorism and the need to=20
contain it, but have been tardy in acting against the terrorism that=20
has been acted out in Gujarat. The turn of the events drives the=20
common man to wonder if the Centre has not been turning a Nelson's=20
eye.

No civilized individual or community will ever approve of the=20
holocaust at Godhra Railway Station. At the same time, the glib=20
and callous attempts by the ilk of Acharya Giriraj Kishore to play=20
down the selective killing of more than 200 people and the selective=20
destruction of property worth crores as a minor reaction to the=20
Gothra incident are nothing but savage mockery. Perceptive people=20
will not fail to see the glee in which the statement is embedded and=20
this is hideous. In fact, it is not very difficult to see that the=20
VHP and associates have succeeded in creating a situation which=20
they have wished for and from which they hope to make gains.We need=20
to condemn the killing of the passengers of the Sabarmathi Express.=20
It was heinous. But at the same time, we have also to find out what=20
preceded it, though no provocation could ever be a justification for=20
such mindless, cold blooded killing. It is simple commonsense that=20
nothing happens just like that, that is, without a cause. And we=20
learn that
in the preceding weeks there were, in Gothra, events of teasing the=20
minority community and irritating them beyond a point .If this is=20
true, then it is easy to read that a clever ploy was planned to=20
create tension and generate an atmosphere in which the VHP could=20
consolidate more support for its Ram Mandir agenda .And they say=20
their agenda will be implemented in defiance of all law and courts=20
and voices of culture and moderation. That is, VHP will be a law=20
unto itself. The question is, are the right thinking people of this=20
county going to allow it? And is the Centre going to allow the=20
Gujarat government to wink at the situation for a time and then=20
alone force it to act? It is said that the guardians of law, the=20
police in Gujarat, initially were mere spectators which means they=20
had turned cowards and deserters. This cannot be allowed. Let us=20
citizens speak out.Let us tell the governments to act, and help=20
sanity prevail, with some tough action.

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

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