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Journalism of Courage
Some said it with roses, others with trishuls. The medium definitely was the message on Sunday as Godhra lived another day of contrasts.
The morning started with activists from 22 city-based NGOs taking out a three-km-long rose-distribution rally that began at the station area and culminated near Rani Masjid in Polan Bazar.
Carrying placards which conveyed messages of peace, harmony and goodwill, the rallyists marched through the streets, drawing people out of their homes and shops. Activists said around 3,000 people took part in the rally.
Belonging to all major communities — Jains, Nirankaris, Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus and Christians — the activists shouted slogans like Mata Re Mata Bharat Mata, Saurav Ki Mata, Zaheer Ki Mata and Har Saval Ka Ek Jawab, Phool-diksha, Phool-diksha.
‘‘We want people to express themselves openly. All these people you see watching from their windows and standing on the sidelines give in when the 10 per cent rowdy element takes over the crowd. We want to strengthen them,’’ said Jainuddin Vali, an activist.
Mukund Sindhav of the Rationalist Club was realistic. ‘‘This rally may not bring a permanent end to the communal divide in the city but might just open a window through which a ray of hope enters more minds.’’
In the latter part of the day, the VHP programme at the Lalbaug grounds in Godhra turned out to be a damp squib, with only about 250 of the expected 1000 initiates arriving for the trishul distribution. Of these, 50 left even before the ceremony began.
The initiates were first given a short capsule on India’s history and then lectured on why it is necessary that India becomes a Hindu rashtra. VHP and Bajrang Dal leaders, in the presence of BJP politicians including Godhra MLA Haresh Bhatt and former MP Gopalsinh Solanki, declared that Muslims continue to be outsiders.
‘‘Muslims and Christians continue to remain outsiders. They have no respect for Indian culture and will understand only when India is declared a Hindu rashtra,’’ said Arvind Brahmbhatt, Gujarat and Rajasthan in-charge of the VHP.
The leaders also took swipes at Congress president Sonia Gandhi with an oblique mention of Italy in the discourse on Hindu nation. For the record, they claimed that 700 boys were given diksha, but the sparse attendance belied their claim.
