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Sabrang Team
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October
7, 2003
The
Asian Age
Ban
yatra politics, conduct inquiry outside Gujarat: Godhra victims
-
By Rinky Kumar
Mumbai,
Oct. 5: “Ban
yatra politics, end the sacrifice of innocent lives in the name of
religion,” was the universal appeal made by families of the Godhra
victims whose wives and brothers were burnt alive in the S–6 coach
of the Sabarmati express on February 27, 2002.
At the same time, the victims of the aftermath of Godhra who are
being supported by the social activist group, Citizens for Justice
and Peace, have demanded that the Godhra inquiry and other inquiries
should be transferred outside Gujarat and should be held in the
immediate vicinity of the Supreme Court.
The victims were brought to Mumbai on Sunday by the officials of the
social group. They also demanded an investigation of the source of
the funds collected for the rehabilitation of the Godhra victims and
how it was used by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and BJP.
Eighteen–year–old Khushboo Rawal who lost her father in the
riots, said, “I urge people not to participate in the Ayodhya
Yatra planned from October 15, 2003 in order to prevent another such
incident. People who will participate might end up becoming like
victims of the Godhra riots.” Her father, Ashwinbhai Rawal, a
local Bajrang Dal president and a BJP card holder was stabbed to
death on April 16, 2002.
Elaborating her father’s death, Khushboo said, “My father was
travelling on his two-wheeler when the mob threw a tyre in his way,
dragged him from his seat and stabbed him several times with swords
and knives.” Khushboo also lost her grandmother, Belaben Rawal,
who was returning with the Karsevaks from the Ayodhya yatra in the
Sabarmati Express.
Inspite of hailing from a political background, Khushboo’s family
has not received any assistance. She said, “After my father’s
death, no one came to meet us. The local BJP leaders refused to
provide any monetary help to us. We approached Bajrang Dal leader,
Jaideepbhai Patel but he refused to help us.” She added that they
received just one litre oil and one kg sugar for a month that was
stopped later. Khushboo’s family now survives on the her
grandfather’s pension since there is no earning member.
Another relative of a victim, Bharatbhai Panchal who lost his wife
Jyotiben in the tragedy, said,“We were not allowed to speak before
the Nanavati commission also. He added when he approached Haren
Pathak, an ex- minister and MP for monetary assistance, the latter
said the place where Panchal stayed was not under his constituency.
Secretary of CJP, Teesta Setalvad, said, “A petition will be filed
by these victims within 10 days. We will apply for state protection
as attempts were made to intimidate them by the local VHP and BJP
leaders before they came here.”
http://www.asianage.com/main.asp?layout=2&cat1=11&cat2=57&newsid=72077&RF=DefaultMain
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