THE SAGA OF ISLAMIC ATROCITIES IN AHMEDABAD Summary

"March 16, 2002"

2002, what should we remember?

I have great admiration for Hinduism. Historically, Hinduism had been the most tolerant and peaceful faith. The pracbreastioners of Hinduism were never aggressive or violent. It was Hinduism that gave the world leaders like Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi. The violence in Gujarat was not because of Hinduism. It was a result of extremism. Extremism is a religion in itself. Converts to this faith include Hindus, Muslims, Christians and many others. But Gujarat arises when the elements of the extremist faith enter the government, or the government is controlled by the followers of extremism. From all available accounts and from my own personal observations while in India in the aftermath of the killing of my father-in-law, the former Member of Parliament Ahsan Jafri, it is an unavoidable conclusion that the government of Gujarat did not just give a tacit approval to the perpetrators of violence against Muslims, but connived in the pogrom. There are evidences that the police, the judiciary and the hospitals, all became a part of that operation in ethnic cleansing by Hindu extremists and Sangh Parivaries (BJP, VHP, RSS, Bajrang Dal) in Gujarat. The carnage carried out in Gujarat in the aftermath of Godhra incident was pre-planned. The detailed and meticulous preparation of that operation, the availability of weapons, the list of houses and businesses to be targeted based on voters lists and ration card records, the availability of bottled water for the rioters, and mob leaders getting riot instructions and help on cell phones, suggest that Godhra was only a convenient excuse. These extremists were fully prepared and on standby to carry out the violence against Muslim men, women and children, and were only waiting for the opportunity. The incident in Godhra provided that excuse. If it wasn't Godhra, it would have been something else. Anything else. There have been times when these extr