Godhra – the very name invokes in us memories, all nightmarish and that is natural as it is associated with the communal pogrom of 2002, which claimed more than one thousand two hundred lives. This 1200 is official estimate, the unofficial estimate surpasses even 2000.
In response to the immolation or burning to death of 59 Karsevaks who were returning to Gujarat by Sabarmati Express after the demolition of Babri Masjid which sent shockwaves across the nation and the world over allegedly by the Karsevaks under the guidance and inspiration of Sangh Parivar leaders led to the massive communal pogrom that too allegedly instigated by Narendra Modi government. The Nanavati Commission report and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) under former Director of CBI R.K.Raghavan both reported that the Godhra incident – the burning to death of 59 Karsevaks was perpetrated by a group of Muslim merchants doing business at the platform but both Nanavati and R.K.Raghavan couldn’t point to a specific group who allegedly poured petrol inside the S-6 compartment and set it ablaze leading to the massacre.
Gujarat State ruled by Narendra Modi of BJP, a hard-core Hindutva leader, naturally flared up and at the instigation of the govt, the ‘fanatic’ Hindus went on the rampage which was a free for all singled out the Muslims and engaged in dastardly acts out of vendetta like ripping apart the wombs of pregnant ladies, setting ablaze hundreds and hundreds of Muslims even after cries for help and refuge rent the atmosphere, even children not spared, even calling Muslims ‘child manufacturing factories’ as the whole world looked on in stunned silence. Narendra Modi could polarize Hindus on one side and Muslims on the other who felt helpless in a Hindu Majority State.
The verdict of the other day however convicted 31 persons and acquitted 63 persons for lack of evidence.
The verdict after nine years was a morale booster to Narendra Modi as his govt’s stand on the Godhra incident was given sort of ‘reprieve’.
As an efficient administrator and an orator par excellence, Modi continues to hold on to his Chief Ministership even after his image got tarnished after the 2002 pogrom. Another govt under another ruler couldn’t seize power from him as he in each election secured a massive mandate. It is widely known that as an administrator he could do a lot for his State and still doing a lot, the infrastructure at its best, standard of living also high corporate in large numbers were welcomed and they set up many industries and they were provided with many incentives, thus brought down unemployment rate to a maximum low and the entire Gujarat has turned out to be a model State for many other States in India. On learning about the good things he is doing for the State what all baffles our mind is Chief Minister of Narendra Modi’s calibre continues to be a hard-core Hindutva leader who is even denied permission in Nitish Kumar’s Bihar. The fact that thousands are turning in their graves in the aftermath of Gujarat pogrom, still continues to remain a black-spot on this man.
With him displaying a good governance in his State a few years I happened to watch a talk-show on NDTV 24X7 participated by a cross-section of entire Gujarat including Hindus and Muslims in the run-up to an election to Gujarat Assembly.
That which surprised and to a large extent embarrassed me was the response of majority of Muslim citizens appreciating Modi’s rule. That which came to my mind on hearing them was perhaps they must have been ventilating their views due to fear of Modi govt. Most of the Muslims participated in the show were businessmen and we are very well aware all business-wallahs move along the same wave-lengths. They always want their business to flourish be there a Congress govt or BJP govt at the helm. Furthermore be it in a State or country as whole, all want to live in peace and they don’t want to see recurrence of any kind of violence. And those who are perpetrating all kinds of troubles are a minority of anti-social elements in most cases. That need not be the case always. For instance, why Gujarat flared up in 2002? Why such a pogrom resulted? There must be more than one reasons. In Gujarat it was first of all an inherent hatred in the minds of two communities which assumed mountainous proportions as and when such a situation arose.
Another example worth pointing out here is the recent revolution in countries like Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Yemen etc etc. The reasons for such revolutions are deep-rooted and when peoples’ patience reach its nadir it is natural that citizens rise in revolt against autocratic governments.
Qutbudheen Ansari - the face that flashed across the nation and whole world which could nearly break the heart of the onlookers while the Gujarat pogrom was going on all must be remembering even now. His appeals, his tears with folded palms ‘have mercy on me’ before his torturers are very much alive in our mind.
Today I happened to read his request to Raheel Ghattiwala whose article ‘Muslim as BJP supporter in Gujarat’ (a must read) ‘please leave me alone. I want to have my privacy’.
Still many both Hindus and Muslims in fact want to live in peace, peace and peace only.
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