As usual the Hinduvta govt. of India sits back and lets it happen.
This is the face of alleged ‘secular’ India. A place where burning Muslims in their thousands is rewarded by victory in elections.
It’s been one year since the riots in Gujarat - violence that tore apart the Hindu and Muslim communities. Even today, the wounds are deep in several parts of the state, where Hindus have not allowed Muslim families driven out of their homes to re-start their businesses.
Sample this: A strict economic boycott will throttle the Muslims. It will break their backbone. Then it will be difficult for them to live in any part of the country. Friends begin this economic boycott from today…"
One year after this VHP pamphlet was distributed all over Gujarat, its message is being lived out in villages such as Pavagarh in south Gujarat’s Panchmahal district. Here, pilgrims visiting the magnificent Jama Masjid and ancient devi shrine now eat at food stalls run only by Hindus.
This is because none of the nearly two dozen Muslim establishments burnt down during the riots have been allowed to re-start.
“We met the sarpanch and the deputy sarpanch and said we want to start our business again. They said you can live in the village, but in Pavagarh now only the Hindus will do business. If you want to work you will have to leave. Our jeep-taxis used for ferrying tourists were burnt and now they say no Hindu is allowed to sit in them,” said a riot victim.
Nowhere to go
Pavagarh had 49 Muslim families before the riots. A few went back home from the refugee camp in the neighbouring town of Halol six months ago under heavy police security. But these were all land-owning people.
Those who were in business were forbidden to return. Dispossessed, they are now living in rented houses, if they can afford it. But those who have not found any other work are still staying in camps.
“We first said only those who go back home will receive help. But the condition in the villages is very bad. If they are not allowed to work how will they survive? Now they have to find something else to do. On their own they won’t get a single meal,” remarked Mushtaq Bhai, relief camp organiser, Halol.
For small farmers like Abdul who have been allowed to return, the homecoming has lost its meaning. He owned a small piece of land in the village of Nathpura and after years of struggle raised the money for a borewell, which was targeted by the rioters.
“Because of this borewell which was dug three years ago, we were able to get two crops in the year. So they broke it and stuffed the pipe with stones. Now we are back to being dependent on the rain. In these drought years this was our only hope. Where will we get water from?” asked Abdul.
The plight of the landless Muslim labourer is worse. “Now nobody allows us to work in the fields in the village. We are not even hired as casual labour outside,” said a Muslim labourer.
Gatherings of distrust
The pressure on Hindus to ostracize them is relentless. In Panchmahal district, on the 27th of every month since the Godhra train tragedy, condolence meetings are held in village after village and the smallest towns. These meetings almost always end in anti-Muslim rhetoric.
“The riots shattered our life. The Hindus stopped giving us work in their fields or buying from our shops. Then slowly life started returning to normal again. But last month again there was a meeting in the village and the Hindus were threatened with dire consequences if they gave us work,” lamented a local Muslim resident.
It has been a humiliating return for these natives. Not allowed to re-open their business and unable to get hired as labour, they must either live on charity till it runs out or relocate themselves someplace else where religion is no bar to finding work.
. You are avoiding the topic at hand im afraid.
Not that we didn’t know.