From the category archives:
Kanta ben, in Ahmedabad, lost her only son in the riots. She says that Muslims are not even worth keeping contact with. Firoze, a Muslim, and her son went out together but her son never returned back. Firoze has been absconding since.
Ahmed bhai, in Patna, lost his son few years ago. His son went out with his Hindu friends but was later found burnt to death in a remote location. Since his death the whole family is scared and they are planning to leave India forever.
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As far as I can remember the news about the Godhra incident starting flashing in the morning of February 27th. It was a period when the news channels were slowly coming up. Aaj Tak was growing great guns and so were Star News and Zee News. Doordarshan, government run channel, was pushed to the background by the private channels so that meant there were no censors in the news items. It was left to the discretion of the dudes from US/UK to decide what’s best for us. Aaj Tak got all the publicity because it was marketed as India’s own channel. So our own Aaj Tak started flashing images from the train carnage uncensored. The blame was put on Muslims as they fell to the taunts of the returning Kar Sewaks and eventually burnt the train. My first reaction to the news was my utter shock at this inhuman punishment meted out after slightest of provocations. Even though independent fact finding teams have refuted this earlier claim and label it is a part of larger conspiracy of the state government, I am not getting into conspiracy theories.
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My immature mind was already corrupted by this communal feeling. I often wondered if we too will meet the same fate as other Muslims who perished in the riots. My mother lost her cousin in the Bengali-Bihari riots in Bangladesh. She told me that her cousin could save her daughter as she hid her below her saari who was later rescued by the police. At least I now have a hiding place in case of emergency!
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Winter was about to set it but the climate around Tube factory in Jamshedpur was still warm. I was playing with my brother on the veranda when mom called us inside. Doors were shut and all windows closed even though it was still not cold outside. We were pushed to the living room where Doordarshan was broadcasting news. It was quite unusual for DD to broadcast news in the evening but I soon found out why. Babri Masjid was being attacked my Kar Sewaks with unconfirmed reports that it has already been demolished. Even though at that age, 9 years, no one gives a damn about politics but I was born sensitive so was infuriated at a Masjid being demolished. Even though I didn’t know the names of RSS/VHP/BJP leaders but their continuous venomous speeches had made me realise that that they are ‘bad people’, at least for the Muslims (Fortunately Shahi Imam Bukhari was not a media darling at that time).
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Once again the agents of terror have carried a horrendous act of killing innocent people. 64 people have died in the blast that burnt down 2 bogies of Samjahuata Express, the faint symbol of peace between India & Pakistan.
Dear Terrorist bhahiya,
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