Gujarat violence still haunts riot victims

A decade after the country’s worst communal carnage in Gujarat, that claimed more than 2,000 lives, eminent personalities from across India expressed concern over the violation of human rights that took place during the riots.

Eminent personalities, including former chief election commissioner J.M. Lyngdoh, former Gujarat DGP B.N. Sri Kumar and filmmaker Rahul Dholakia expressed their concern over the violation of human rights and the discrimination that a particular community had been subjected to in 2002, at a meeting “Gujarat-10 years of shame”.

The meeting was organised by the Majlis-eIttehadul Muslimeen at the Jubilee Hall.

Recalling his personal experiences, Mr Lyngdoh said that thousands of Muslims were forced to migrate to safer places after the 2002 communal riots.

They were deprived of their right to vote, he said.

However, as the Chief Election Commissioner, he ensured that the migrant Muslims would get an opportunity to exercise franchise, even though he had to face the wrath of the then union minister Arun Jaitley for his efforts, Mr Lyngdoh recalled.

Former Director General of Police B.N. Sri Kumar alleged that he was under tremendous pressure from the Narendra Modi government to suppress facts related to the riots.

He said that despite political pressure and intense opposition, he submitted the details before the Nanavati Commission.

Mr Sri Kumar said that there were still hundreds of Muslims who were afraid of returning to their homes, even a decade after the riots. The former DGP praised the police officials who spoke the truth about the riots. Film producer Rahul Dholakia described the Gujarat riots as a conspiracy against humanity.

Noted lawyer Shafeeq Mahajir said that evidence connected to the Gujarat riots were tampered with and a sustained effort was made to saffronise the judiciary, police and bureaucracy in that state. MIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi appreciated the role played by secular Hindus during and after the riots.

Mr Owaisi also hailed the relief work that was taken up by Non-government Organisations from Hyderabad.