27-02-2002.
Ya, It was that fateful day...when I visited Godhra first time, to cover The Sabarmati Express train carnage.
We visited the spot, we even entered the s-6 coach and saw remains of the ashes of human bodies. We met some survivors who told us how the incident took place. We also met then district magistrate and our impression was the she sought to play down the incident.
But, except her no one played down.. Major parts of Gujarat soon engulfed in one the worst ever communal riots of the history of Gujarat. We can say, the rest is history.....
And now, the court verdict has come out on 22nd of this month. It has been ruled that this carnage was a pre planned conspiracy. But, one question remained in my mind.' WHY IT HAPPENED ? '
We tried to seek this answer on 27th Feb, 2002 also. We used to visit Godhra thereafter for so many times for follow up stories and when someone was visiting to see the coach. ( which is still there at Godhra railway yard). I could remember the grim face of then prime minster Atal bihari vajpayee, when he visited Godhra. He did not spoke a single word. Perhaps he was also seeking some answers.
We got the answer that who did it. But, why they did so ?
It was a conspiracy means it was not a thought less action. They planned everything. Timing of the train, spot to stop the train, who will carry the petrol , from where and how, stone pelting would be done making passengers to shut down the doors and windows and so that they could not escape from the flames afterwards. How to enter the coach, how to ignite the mob from the nearby locality , some persons even stopped the fire tenders with open swords, they wished that help reached as late as possible .
I could remember that name of the main conspirators changed every day in early investigations. First it was haji bilal, then kurkur, then salim panvala , faruk bhana, and maulvi umarji. We also reported about a core group , who executed the whole plan.
There are stories regarding revenge theories , about some skirmishes but, in context of the enormity of the event this stories are not convincing.
The event that shook the entire Gujarat , the entire country, that changed the course of political parties and politicians, that wide apart communities , that generate a sharp polarisation among every class of society, this event could not be a result of just skirmish.
Motives may be different, motivators may be different. but, Godhra train carnage has still some unanswered questions.....
Ya, It was that fateful day...when I visited Godhra first time, to cover The Sabarmati Express train carnage.
We visited the spot, we even entered the s-6 coach and saw remains of the ashes of human bodies. We met some survivors who told us how the incident took place. We also met then district magistrate and our impression was the she sought to play down the incident.
But, except her no one played down.. Major parts of Gujarat soon engulfed in one the worst ever communal riots of the history of Gujarat. We can say, the rest is history.....
And now, the court verdict has come out on 22nd of this month. It has been ruled that this carnage was a pre planned conspiracy. But, one question remained in my mind.' WHY IT HAPPENED ? '
We tried to seek this answer on 27th Feb, 2002 also. We used to visit Godhra thereafter for so many times for follow up stories and when someone was visiting to see the coach. ( which is still there at Godhra railway yard). I could remember the grim face of then prime minster Atal bihari vajpayee, when he visited Godhra. He did not spoke a single word. Perhaps he was also seeking some answers.
We got the answer that who did it. But, why they did so ?
It was a conspiracy means it was not a thought less action. They planned everything. Timing of the train, spot to stop the train, who will carry the petrol , from where and how, stone pelting would be done making passengers to shut down the doors and windows and so that they could not escape from the flames afterwards. How to enter the coach, how to ignite the mob from the nearby locality , some persons even stopped the fire tenders with open swords, they wished that help reached as late as possible .
I could remember that name of the main conspirators changed every day in early investigations. First it was haji bilal, then kurkur, then salim panvala , faruk bhana, and maulvi umarji. We also reported about a core group , who executed the whole plan.
There are stories regarding revenge theories , about some skirmishes but, in context of the enormity of the event this stories are not convincing.
The event that shook the entire Gujarat , the entire country, that changed the course of political parties and politicians, that wide apart communities , that generate a sharp polarisation among every class of society, this event could not be a result of just skirmish.
Motives may be different, motivators may be different. but, Godhra train carnage has still some unanswered questions.....
1 comment:
Speechless!
Still after so many years its unbelievable..
:(
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