Revisiting The Godhra Carnage
Now here is the thing. Imagine you travelling
with your family in a train. It is mid of the night and all in the bogie are
deep in their sleep. The train makes a routine stop at a small town. A group of
fanatics geared with all assault weapons lock the bogie from outside and pour
enough petrol to bring about a petrol crisis in the city. Then they go ahead torching
the petrol soaked compartment without caring for who are inside and what will
happen to them. You only wake up when the fire has engulfed half of the bogie and
find everyone shouting for their lives but can’t go out because of the lock. You
try to save your kids by any means and even try to break open a window but
fail. In desperation you look outside for help but only see a bunch of bastard merrymaking
and dancing on their latest achievement. You pled for mercy but that encourages
the scoundrels to dance more vulgarly. You can’t take it anymore. You feel the
hot molten alumina pouring on your body. You see your kids suffocating to death
in front of you. Finally the fire takes the better of your struggle and you die
a bizarre and painful death as the rest of the bogie.
How would you feel? Hang on!! You can’t feel
anything since you are dead. How would your loved ones, your near and dear ones
would feel? How would your brethren feel seeing you and many like you been
subjected to such inhuman torture and finally getting killed? How the
government of the day would feel since it failed miserably in protecting you,
which is its primary duty?
The scenario is really bad. Really, really
bad. A scenario where you won’t even fancy your worst of enemies to be in. No?
But horrifyingly enough, this is what precisely happened on the fateful day of
27th February 2002. At a small junction on the Ahemadabad –
Gandhinagar rout called Godhra a bunch of Muslims, backed by nefarious entities
both from political and otherwise sections, poured petrol on the S-6 bogie of
the Savarmati Express and set it afire for reasons best known to them. 58 Kar
Sevaks were charred alive, among which there was a large constituent of women
and children. The repercussions of that horrifying act we are still witnessing.
A lot many lives lost in the ethnic rioting that followed. Narendra Modi turned
an avenger for many while a desperado for few others overnight. A peaceful
state of businessmen and traders turned into a political hot potato forever.
All-in-all an event which changed the perception of how one should deal with
any kind of ethnic clashes; an event which brought about international
scrutiny. From Time magazine to our own India today carried the story on their
centerspread while a perpetual battleground is created for BJP and Congress to
keep on fighting as and when they feel like to garner few brownie points.
Among all the dead and the chaos; among all
the public display of moral superiority and pseudo secularism, one thing that
is completely forgotten is the incident which started this chain reaction. The
Godhra carnage itself. While many jokers who claim themselves to be so called
seculars kept on shedding crocodile tears for the victims of the riot that
followed, the convenience shown in brushing the Godhra train burning episode
under the carpet, as if a non-issue is little annoying. By design the root
cause of this massive inhuman act that followed the Godhra episode was
forgotten quicker than even the time taken for the charred out bogie to cool
down for the dead bodies to be taken out. All that we hear since then is how
the riot that spread like a wild fire and eventually killed more than 1200
humans before it is over. All that we hear is how Narendra Modi turned his eye
on the mayhem and allowed the mob to carry out some street justice. All that we
hear is the weeping of the Congress party men for a farce as if the 1984 Sikh massacre
never happened. All that we see is pseudo seculars and vulture NGOs baking
their bread on the dead of the riot for last ten years. All that we see is the
dirty votebank politics that is going on and on without any shred of evidence
of it ending anytime soon.
Though the riot itself as an act is condemnable, for me the question always remained – how so
easily the death of 58 Kar Sevaks was forgotten. How in earth in a country full
with majority Hindus, the inhuman and unethical killing of Hindus is such a
non-issue? Are the dead of that night doesn’t have any rights? Are their lives
so worthless that we as a nation will forget it so easily? Is the human rights are
never a concern for those 58 unfortunate humans who had to die so barbarically?
Don’t we as a nation have the moral obligation to sought answer for such
inhuman killings? Questions are literally many but ironically answers are few
or rather nonexistent.
By design the citizenry of the nation were
made to forget the horrific incident of Godhra. All that they were shown time
and again are the dead of the riot and their plight while the cause that
started was forgotten. Nasty votebank politics brought about a paradigm shift
on sensible thinking and nation building. The Congress party and many of its
pathetic allies in collaboration with their long list of paid media houses tried
to feed the nation with false propaganda of neutral journalism. Time and again
it is the media which went ballistic on the issue of Gujarat riot while no one
spared a second to even mention the unknown dead of Godhra, let alone asking
for justice for them. People like Rajdeep Sardesai, Barkha Dutt kept on shoving
their nefarious pseudo secular avatar into the mainstream by airing fabricated
documentary for hours together on the instruction of their pay masters in North
block. People went all over the place on every anniversary to dig out the so
called riot survivors so that yet another farce can be built up to malign
Narendra Modi.
Where is the same concern for the dead Kar
Sevaks? Aren’t they the citizens of this great nation with all their
fundamental rights intact, which also includes the right to live? So why no
media does a cover story to hear the plight of their side, which they very well
do for even those who were barely injured during the riot. Why people like
Teesta Setelvad were intentionally kept barking on the human rights of the riot
victims as if Hindus doesn’t have any. Why I don’t see any NGO fighting for the
justice for those who were charred alive. Why it is Ehshan Jafri that always
takes the center stage when we talk about Gujarat riots while the dead Hindus
still remain nameless and faceless?
Nobody should get me wrong here. As I have
already said in another blog of mine, I am no advocate of violence. For me even
one life lost is one life lost too many. But the manner in which the death of
58 innocents brushed aside hurts. It hurts because I feel justice is not done
to them till yet. Forget about justice, no one is even thinking of taking a
step or two to analyze their deaths for starters. All that we are hearing for
last ten years is a crescendo of cry for justice to the riots victims but not a
single one for the Kar Sevaks. It hurts that our government which should have
been equal to all is all but busy playing the dirty votebank politics and full
time engaged in appeasement as if the 58 of Savarmati Express carry no value.
It hurts because we have turned into an indifferent society where we are
setting different rules for different set of people as per our convenience. It
hurts because our fourth estate rather being neutral and justice oriented has
turned sycophants and sold themselves to dirty politics so that easy money can
be earned. It hurts in the name of secularism we have misunderstood (intentionally)
the word itself for appeasement and pampering. It hurts because it is always
the justice for a certain section of the society is the agenda; not for all. It
hurts because we as a nation are playing Ostrich and have become oblivious to
the plight of the other section.
And
finally it hurts because I am a Hindu.
Boss. Are you expecting justice for Hindus in this Country? Then I am sorry but you are dumb. I pitty your expectations.
ReplyDeleteMuslims are more radical then Hindus. For this reason, they strike a fear in our minds. If you ever have been to a Muslim dominated area in any city, you will know the fear I am talking about. We Hindus are responsible for our own plight. Instead of appeasing them while they continue to procreate like rabbits, we should have shown them the door when the time was right. It is too late to do anything now. Just sit and watch. And yes write odes to our lost brothers and sisters!
ReplyDeleteThere is no justification for riots. The godhra burning happened because the kar sevaks allegedly misbehaved with some muslim girls / youth at the station.
ReplyDeleteEither ways no on expected the train to catch fire the way it did or anticipate state sponsored riots.
Modi needs to be hanged for his role.
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteIf misbehaving with Muslim girls can lead to 58 being charred alive then 58 deaths should very well lead to the buthering of Muslims on Ahmedabaad Streets. No? Justice done then. Why Cry for Gujarat riots? Lets say it an even deal and mve on!!
Boss, talk sense when you comment something on open forums...
Great Day!!
One day, India will also become an Islamist country. Then with a majority of muslim peoples in India, they all will cut the throats these congress peoples, then they will come to know what mistakes they have done.
ReplyDeleteA day will will come the moment muslims become 40% this congress male politicians will be butchered first and their woman will be taken as hostages.For that only this muslims are breeding like animals
ReplyDeletePlease note supreme ordered to enact uniform civil civil laws
Supreme court ordered to enact a law against proselytism
But this third class corrupt cote bank congress
politicians will never do it .Now a days I pray god to send a gang of terrorists to bomb parliament to kill enmasse all antinational politicians . What is the plight of families who protected parliament and died whereas afsal guru is enjoying his briyani All this media is antihindu till today none of the media people bothered to cover families plight of godhra train victims and and one third od hindus died in riots .In india no one bothered about the root cause
On the other hand people like the then Railway Minister the honourable Laloo Prasad (who has the honours of swindling more than Rs 1000 crore in the name of fodder for poultry) tried his best to prove that the kar sevaks were not killed by miscreants of a particular community but were killed by accident inspite of all evidences to the contrary.
ReplyDeleteRight from the times of the Independence the Hindus have been taken for granted especially by the congress and why not- the hindus themselves are to blame for this
It has been said that the current indian muslim population is 22.3 % making india the most populous country in the world containing muslims. But it was 14% just 6 months ago. Congress is destroying india only for their own benefit to gain votes, it has been predicted that by 2050 Muslims population in India will be 80 to 90 crore then they will be the majority of India and all Hindus will become minority. All Hindu temples will be demolished. All Hindu peoples will have to convert into Islam otherwise they would be killed. We are losing India and these corrupt politicians… cant they see the heinous future of India?????
ReplyDeleteI just read V.D.Savarkar's "Six Glorious Epochs of Indian History" . http://www.savarkarsmarak.com/downloadbooks.php
ReplyDeleteMay be if some so called secularist Congressis read this book then they will understand what above reader "enemy of antinationals" is saying.
Well written articel! I am not for killing anybody.At the saem time, we need to decide our destiny as the country is being ruled for pure gains with intentions of apeasing the minorities and looting the majorities. As Swami Vivekananda said ' On barbarics wage war!'Godhra incidents just prove another instance of barbarians in our society and we should not hesitate to take up arms and teach them a lesson. Otherise, we might not have place to stand. I was on a recent trip to Kerala from Guruvayur to Palghat. On can see numerous mosqoues , clearly there's an alrming trend in the way the MUSLIMS are increasing their populations. Imagine the plight of Kashmiris Pandidts! Not far aways are those days when we could face the same situation. Educated Hindus must go out an vote if they want to remain Hinudus in India.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous - who wants to hang Modi
ReplyDeleteFirst of all - the Godhra act was not spontaneous - rather a planned act, and this is proved by so many agencies. Can't be said that Karsevaks did some misbehave and hence this carnage. Rest is already answered by Cynical.
its a pitty that the polititians of this country are using people of both communities for thier sake.... what happend to the karsevaks was horrible and what follwed was worse.... i hate hypocracies on both sides... Rajiv Gandhi should be hanged for 1984 if modi is to be hanged for 2002.... people of this country including all religion deserve to have such moths and raskals to be our rulers... more than half of the indian who are always in virtual world liking and commenting do not have thier voter ID, who is to be blamed? government? its we the people... dont forget, government is of the people, for the people and by the people... in every election, ther will be one guy who is a good candidate, might be independent(and he might lose), so please do some research and vote the most capable guy and stop whinning and being a by stander...
ReplyDeleteI have a few QUESTIONS for which I hv been looking for answers. Will any honest law abiding unbiased decent humane good Indian care to ANSWER them pls.
ReplyDelete1. Are MINORITIES IN INDIA secular?
2. Are minorities in India not having enough equal opportunities to make it gud in life?
3. Are minority dominated regions in India safe for other communities to live?
4. Are minority dominated regions in India discriminating against other communities?
5. Are minority dominated regions demanding special status, autonomy, independence etc? If so why?
6. Next to every ancient or recent Hindu place of worship do u find a Mosque or a Church in India?
7. Does the loudspeaker on a mosque minaret disturb the neighbourhood? Do other places of worship use such loudspeakers day in and day out and disturb the neighbourhood?
8. Should a secular country fund and finance and subsidise religious tours? If yes why is it not done for all religious groups?
9. Are minority groups blackmailing our political leadership with votebanks?
10. Are Hindus very aggressive?
11. Are Hindus stupid?
12. Are Hindus divided?
13. Are Hindus by nature communal?
For now pls answer these questions and then I have some more. Thx.
I understand your anguish but I think you should not bring religion in to matter of terrorism. All the radicals who burned the train are the ones who doesn't belong to any religion they are just psychopaths. If you support the carnage happened after the train burning then there is no difference between you and them. Obviously death of 1200 people is not small thing to ignore so it is talked about much but that doesn't mean anyone ignored train burning incident. If you aware Justice Tewatia’s inquiry commission in April 2002 established that train attack and and 31 people were convicted for the crime. Being a chief minister of the state a person immediately bring state in control when any riots takes place rather than allowing 1200 people get killed. In that case I definitely blame Modi and he should be held responsible. Talking about origin of these riots you are saying its burning of train but the communal violence between Hindu, Muslim is triggered long back due to Babri Masjeed demolishion who are responsible for that. Now you might argue that Ayodhya is birth place of Rama and whats wrong in asking for a temple in there. But whats point in fighting for it now and we lived for centuries without it. It is all triggered by some selfish politicians for their political gains and people like you are becoming prey to that. I once again strongly say that there are no bad Hindus and no bad Muslims but only bad people who are radicals and they don't respect any religion. So don't bring religion in between and hate it on a whole. People in Pakistan are also getting killed everyday by no one but same so called Muslim from an other region. So religion is never responsible for any such acts it always people radical thoughts and political forces behind those people. As people we all should be together and fight against crooked politicians be it BJP, Congree or of some other party. If we understand this no one can create a communal differences between us.
ReplyDeleteAs long as the Nehru/Gandhi/Italian lineage lives and continues in India, this nonsense will continue. Can u imagine, a woman from a foreign country (that too a third class mafia one) is deciding who will b president who will be PM who will be ministers what laws will be passed how much money will be spent on what who will get to use what and how much resources of this country etc etc...And Indian MEN are bowing in front of her, carrying her chappals, licking her idiotic sons backside!!!
ReplyDeleteThey want security, safety & religious freedom wherever they are in a minority, But the minute they achieve majority status in a country or region, the fanatics & puritans demand all out control, Islamic laws instead of common civil codes & laws, Sharia, curtailing the freedom of other religions and finally conversion or genocide & ethnic cleansing!
ReplyDeleteMuslim-majority countries around the world brutally discriminate & oppress their minorities. Look at the conditions of Hindus or Christians in Pakistan or Pandits in Kashmir itself for an answer!!
The Muslims live in perpetual denial. None of them ever addressed radical Islam as a real and thriving movement or recognized the fuel of anti-Muslim hatred that perpetuates it. If they did, they would have to concede their own complicity or inertia in its spread. So they dissimulate.They sarcastically minimize the danger of radical Islam to the world and instead pin the blame on American foreign policy in the Middle East, or Israel oppressing Palestinians or Babri Masjid demolition or Gujrat riots!
One should first blame those those lumpen fanatic & extremist elements who set fire to the Sabarmati express! They are ultimately responsible for the pain & horrors suffered by Muslims in the Gujrat backlash! How many Muslims welcomed their conviction & sentencing? They are never tired of playing the perpetual victim.
Congress ( Gandhi & Nehru Family) is till date under impression and effects of hypnotized by Zinnah since 1943.....and so our media..
ReplyDeleteModi is replica of Vir Sawarkar......
Raju G for a change why dont u go and live in a state of India called Kashmir. Go there, live, make a living, raise a family, become successful, ensure ur kids make it in life, and then come and sermonize on this page!!!
ReplyDeleteOr maybe u could go and live in Kokrajhar in Assam?
It is chickens and forked tongue people like u who twist reality and history.
Nobody is disputing that politicians are fooling around and we should be wary of them. So what is ur solution? How many politicians have been nailed since 1947?
Dont bury ur head in the sand like an ostrich and pretend that people in this country are so good and saintly that they can live together happily ever after. There are events that happen which u cannot do a damn about and there are counter events again about which u cannot do anything.
U say what is the point of fighting for history gone by. Why dont u try and tell this to the same Indian Citizens who are enjoying reservation for the last 60 years on the basis of history!!!
U r silent when ethnic cleansing happened in Kashmir and now it is demanding to become a seperate Islamic state?
All ur gooody goody comments sound like goody goody Manmohan Singh who pretends to be an idiot and enjoys the best of perks in public office. In Hindi we say "Yeda banke peda kha raha hai"
Rajiv Gandhi was equally responsible for 1984. Why are u silent?
I can see few Pseudo seculars having some serious burning sensation right on their back orifice !!
ReplyDeleteGrow up guys. Just by closing your own eyes the world doesn't become blind automatically !!
I completely agree that the Godhra train incident was side-lined and the families of the victim did not get justice. However, you article tend to create a sense of religious bias (and hatred partly) which, I think is not correct.
ReplyDeleteFor law Karsevaks are Indians first, the Govt of India in general should be held responsible for their due justice. Hatred won't solve any problem.
It is good fanatics like you all exist otherwise we wont be able to vote for congress. When people see such fanatics they immediately think we need to stop them and so they vote for the congress.
ReplyDeleteNow, it is hurting me too. Thanks for the excellent insight. Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteshare this page on social networking site, we want justice,
ReplyDeleteNo one would dare to do act like this to muslim in muslim country or christian in a christian country as they did to hindus in the only hindu country.
ReplyDelete