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CITIZENS’ INITIATIVE Convener: Chander Uday Singh Committee:
Aspi
Chinoy
Anand Grover
Mihir
Desai
AN
APPEAL TO THE CITIZENS OF MUMBAI Friends, What has happened and is continuing unabated in Gujarat
concerns all of those who love India; it’s unity, diversity, integrity
and sovereignty. All
sensible Indians condemn the sectarian and ethnic violence against Kashmiri Pandits and the massacre in Godhra. Those responsible for
these atrocities must be punished. These outrages of humanity, however,
can never be a justification for the carnage that followed Godhra.
What
happened in Gujarat was like nothing that has happened before. Gujarat
has seen a systematic, pre-planned campaign aimed at destroying and
marginalizing Muslims. More
importantly, it is apparent that the Government, including officials and
the Police Force at the highest level, was even at best only a silent
spectator, if not an active instigator. From
27th February 2002, the day of the Godhra massacre, the
carnage in Gujarat has left over 2000 dead, over 2,500 persons missing,
over 10,000 homes lost, over 10,000 shops burnt. and
over Rs 7, 000 crores
worth of property destroyed. There is no real attempt to ascertain the
number of dead or missing, never mind the rehabilitation of families
that have been destroyed. And there are no indications that the culprits
will ever be brought to book. What
is even more disturbing is the plight of the living, who live in
appalling conditions in "relief" camps.
There are over 100 relief camps scattered all over Gujarat with
over one lakh victims. There is shortage of food and water and medical
help. Most government functionaries, particularly
Ministers, do not bother to visit the camps, as their only inmates are
Muslims. There is urgent need to reach food, water and medicines to the
victims. More
worrisome is the move to close down the relief camps just to show that
“normalcy” has returned. With their homes destroyed, with no
rehabilitation coming forth and unabated insecurity in their erstwhile
neighbourhoods, victims cannot possibly leave the relief camps.
Instead of restoring peace, rumors are being spread that the
relief camps harbour criminals. Unless genuine normalcy is restored (and
this is impossible without firm government action against pillagers and
looters) the victims will never be able to return and rebuild their own
homes. They will be turned
into refugees in their own cities.
What
is even more disturbing that there is there is a campaign to destroy the economic base of Gujarati
Muslims by refusing to deal with them. The word is now out that no Hindu
should buy from, or use the services of, a Muslim. The aim is to drive
Muslims out of Gujarat. It
is the duty of every functionary of the government, appointed or
elected, to uphold and protect the Constitution of India and thereby the
Republic. And foremost among the duties is to protect the life and
liberty of every citizen without discrimination, irrespective of caste,
creed, religion or sex. If the experiment in the Gujarat
“laboratory” is not halted, the very existence of India is in
danger. For those who love India it is time to stand up and speak out and demand that the government in Gujarat must: Stop
the violence Ensure
the proper rehabilitation of the victims Ensure
that those responsible are brought to book If we do not speak out now, it may be too late. This is not an issue which can be left to the politicians and political parties alone. Citizens have to speak up and be counted.
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