|
'Gujarat 2002 an assault on secularism,
democracy and republicanism'
Tuesday October 09, 2012 09:22:21 PM,
IANS
|
|
|
|
|
New Delhi:
Activists and intellectuals here Tuesday unanimously expressed the
opinion that the riots in Gujarat in 2002 were an assault on
Indian secularism and a lot remained to be done to secure justice
for the victims.
The activists were speaking at a seminar at the M.F. Husain Art
Gallery in the capital's Jamia Millia Islamia.
Well-known leftist historian Romila Thapar delivered the keynote
address. In her speech, Thapar noted that Gujarat 2002 was 'a
genocide and no ordinary riot'.
"In the ten years since the riots, the Modi administration has
made repeated attempts to portray Gujarat as a progressive and
well-administered state. If that is the case, why is it that most
of those made accused in the Godhra case are still behind bars?
Why has compensation not been paid properly? And what of those
listed as missing," Thapar asked.
"The Gujarat of Narendra Modi is not at all a secular state. Its
system of governance negates the most fundamental principles of
the Indian constitution," Thapar said.
Other speakers emphasized on why Gujarat 2002 should never be
forgotten by Indian society. "Memory is a moral responsibility for
every society. And how you carry out this particular
responsibility depends on what future you envision for your
society," said author and academic Purushottam Agarwal.
"This tragedy must never be forgotten. It should be remembered and
understood so that justice can be done. It was an assault on
secularism, democracy and modern republicanism," said activist
Mukul Manglik.
"They say Gujarat is developed. The term 'development' is a
synonym used by Gujarat's rulers for 'forgetting'. We want to
capture the struggle of memory against erasure," said sociologist
Shiv Vishvanathan.
Filmmaker and Jamia alumna Anusha Rizvi dwelt on the social
aspects of communal riots in modern India. "There are three
important aspects of communal riots today. First, they are a
largely urban phenomenon. Second, they are usually instigated by
secular issues like eve-teasing, land-grabbing and political
assassination. And third, communal riots are the only secular
activity that politicians across the board indulge in," Rizvi
noted.
Among the attendees at the seminar was R.B. Sreekumar, former
Gujarat DGP and Mumbai-based activist Teesta Setalvad, who has
spear-headed the fight for survivors of the Gujarat riots.
The seminar is the first in a series organised jointly by Jamia
and NGO 'Citizens for Justice and Peace' to commemorate 10 years
of the 2002 massacres in Gujarat. The programmes will include a
photo retrospective, statistics, missing person's wall,
acknowledgements and survivor's conversations among other things.
It will end Oct 13.
|
|
Home |
Top of the Page
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
I |
|
|
|
|
More Headlines |
|
Avinas
Ranjan wins AMU essay writing competition |
|
Farmers, consumers to benefit from FDI in
retail: Pawar |
|
Once written off by teacher wins Nobel for
medicine |
|
Tamil Nadu to file contempt plea against
Karnataka |
|
Affordable electricity for all in five years:
PM |
|
Right to Education Act:
SC notice to govt on students' quota |
|
Plants boost healing power of anti-fungals |
|
Karnataka stops Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, farmers jubilant |
|
World's 'oldest person' dies at 132 |
|
Varsity students prefer lectures to computers, says study |
|
|
|
Top Stories |
|
Mayawati slams UPA economic policies
Says will decide on
Wednesday whether to continue support to govt or not
Bahujan Samaj
Party (BSP) supremo and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister
Mayawati Tuesday hinted
»
UPA numbers game in Lok Sabha, minus Mamata
Support to UPA: Mayawati keeps Congress, SP guessing on rally eve
|
|
|
|
Most Read |
|
 Farmers, consumers to benefit from FDI in
retail: Pawar
Farmers would benefit with significant reduction in post harvest
losses and get better prices for their crop, while consumers would
gain from lower prices and higher quality of produce, Pawar said »
|
|
Tamil Nadu to file contempt plea against
Karnataka
The Tamil Nadu
government will file a contempt petition in the Supreme Court
against the Karnataka government for stopping the supply of
Cauvery river waters in violation of court orders, it was
announced Tuesday.
»
Karnataka stops Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, farmers jubilant
|
|
|
|
News Pick |
|
'Yes minister, we need more toilets'
There is a
shortage of toilets, especially clean ones, in most parts of the
country, say people who cannot understand the brouhaha over a
minister's remark that toilets are more important than temples in
the country. "A toilet, and a clean one at that, is terribly
important, especially when you are on the move and need to go
»
|
|
Supreme Court seeks details of clinical trials
in country
The Supreme
Court Monday asked the central government to provide details of
clinical trials being conducted throughout the country, their side
effects and deaths, if any.
The apex court bench of Justice R.M. Lodha and Justice Anil R.
Dave, while asking the central government »
|
|
 Affordable electricity for all in five years:
PM
Affordable access to energy is one of the main challenges which
the world faces today, and India will ensure electricity to
households in the next five years »
|
|
 Right to Education Act:
SC notice to govt on students' quota
The Supreme Court Monday issued notice to the central government
on a petition seeking exemption for unaided educational
institutions from earmarking 25 percent seats »
|
|
|
|
Picture of the Day |
|
 |
|
Rahul Gandhi
with business leaders at the University of Kashmir. Rahul
visited Kashmir University on October 05, 2012. His
interaction with the Kashmir University generated a ray of
hope among the youth. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Comments
|
Quick links