Tags:
Journalism of Courage
GANDHINAGAR, Aug 10: A five-member high-level team of the National Minorities Commission today expressed serious concern over the recent attacks on Christians and Muslims in different parts of Gujarat.
The team, led by Reverend James Massey, discussed the violence at a three-hour meeting convened by Chief Secretary L N S Mukundan. Principal Secretary Home P G Ramrakhiani and State DGP C P Singh were among the senior IAS and IPS officials present at the meeting.
Subsequently, the team 8212; comprising Mazarban J A Patrawala, Javed Ahmed editor of the Mumbai-based periodical Communalism Combat, John Dayal, editor of Mid-Day, and Mumbai-based lawyer Hatim Muchhala, besides Massey left for Kapadwanj to assess the dispute relating to the encroachment on the Christian cemetery there. The town was not in the team8217;s formal itinerary.
A team member later told Express Newsline that the officials did not have adequate information about certain violent incidents of 8220;serious nature8221; and did not co-relate them in the right perspective.
8220;After initial reluctance, the officials named the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal as suspects8221;, he said, adding that they could also apprise the Press Council of India of the biased reporting of the vernacular Press on the incidents.
A senior bureaucrat, however, claimed the team was satisfied with the briefing.
ENS adds from Ahmedabad: The saffron brigade and secular forces displayed mutual intolerance for each other in ample measure during representations before the NMC team.
The immediate cause of tension was a tribal girl from Randhikpur, who was pulled up8217; by her neighbour 8212; a member of a minority community 8212; for being there. The girl had been brought there by a Dahod-based social worker for representation against atrocities perpetrated on her and her family allegedly by the boy in question.
When the 22-year-old girl complained to the Surendrangar MP Bhavnaben Dave and her colleagues, they took up cudgels on her behalf and the police began a hunt for the culprit8217;. Later, a formal complaint was lodged at the behest of BJP leaders.
While Dave told reporters the incident showed 8220;their audacity in coming right up to this place and browbeating our girls8221;, the boy8217;s associates said there was nothing wrong if one asked a neighbour why she was there.
At one point, the atmosphere in the Circuit House annexe became so surcharged that City Police Commissioner Hiralal had to arrange for police mobiles and control entry into the Circuit House.
