The Hindu : Post-Godhra violence pre-planned: AIMPLB

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 08, 2002

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National

Post-Godhra violence pre-planned: AIMPLB

By Our Special Correspondent

AHMEDABAD May 7. A delegation of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board which visited some of the riot-hit areas of Gujarat did not find any evidence to suggest that the Godhra carnage was "pre-planned'' but is confident that the post-Godhra violence against the innocent Muslims was "pre-planned and pre-meditated.''

Talking to mediapersons here today, the AIMPLB secretary, Abdul Raheem Qurashi, rejected the ruling BJP's theory that the post-Godhra violence was the "natural reaction'' of the Godhra train carnage. Even while strongly deploring the train carnage and demanding the strictest possible punishment to its perpetrators "after fair and objective investigation and due process of law,'' he said, "by no stretch of imagination'' the post-Godhra violence could be termed as a reaction to the train carnage.

Declaring that Muslims in the country regarded India as their own home and "are there to stay,'' Mr. Qurashi strongly criticised Shah Imam Bukhari's talk of creating another Muslim nation. "Shah Imam Bukhari of Delhi do not represent the Muslims in the country and we do not approve of such language,'' he said.

He said that even if the Godhra carnage had not been pre-planned there was no justification in such a "spontaneous outburst of passion'' and the perpetrators must be dealt with severely. The post-Godhra violence, far from being a natural reaction, was the result of distribution of weapons, and promotion of hatred and ill-will against the Muslims, he said.

Mr. Qurashi said it was time the people realised that what was happening in Gujarat was not merely an attack against the Muslims but was a loss to the country. "The Muslims in India cannot see the country being ruined by such hate campaign and all those who believed in peace and harmony should come forward for the restoration of peace and normality in the State,'' he said. The doors of the AIMPLB were always open for a negotiated settlement of the disputes between the two communities.

The delegation, which arrived here after visiting Sabarkantha, Godhra and other riot-affected districts and some of the minorities' relief camps here, said the immediate task before the authorities was to rehabilitate the riot victims in their own homes. He appealed to people from all communities to forget the past and create an atmosphere of peace and harmony.

Pointing out that the people had lost confidence in the police, the Government and the administration he suggested handing over of the riot-affected areas to the Army and other para-military forces.

Mr. Qurashi demanded that the Government pay adequate compensation to the riot victims to help resume their normal life, pay death compensation fully in cash and not in part-bonds as was the practice, consider all missing persons as dead and pay compensation to the next of the kin, improve the conditions in the relief camps, particularly in view of the coming monsoon, and continue the camps till the last victim was able to return home with confidence and in cases where the camps were located in school buildings, shift them to alternative sites before the schools reopened next month. The people should not be forced to leave the camps till normality was restored, he said.

The delegation also wanted bank loans on easy terms for the self-employed who lost their main source of livelihood and a complete rehabilitation policy for the riot victims rendered physically handicapped.

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