Lessons from the carnage

Sometimes it feels as if we humans are bent upon destroying the peace and harmony of this planet but then the actions of a few individuals restrains one from concluding that we are doomed. The dismal human rights record and the long history of ethnic and religious riots in South Asia is a sad one. The Gujarat massacre is one of the ugliest episodes of communal riots in this century. The Indian state of Gujarat became a laboratory of the fascist ideology of the Hindu Right, also known as Hindutva. In February 2002, a train carrying Hindu pilgrims was burnt down, and 60 people were charred to death. The Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, without conducting an investigation, was quick to pin the blame on Muslim fundamentalists. A few days later, under a state-sponsored pogrom, supervised by Narendra Modi (Chief Minister of Gujarat), more than 2,000 Muslims were brutally murdered by Hindu fundamentalists. Most of the victims were women who were dragged out of their homes, gang raped, then murdered. In acts of unparalleled barbarity, even foetuses were not spared. Thousands of Muslims became homeless and refugees in their own state. The most egregious dimension of the violence in Gujarat had been the complicity of the government in the carnage. Later, the government’s own forensic department had concluded that the fire was a result of accidental internal explosions and not due to extraneous factors.

One can only praise the Indian electorate that got rid of this hate-mongering lot. The Vajpayee BJP government blundered in not removing its Gujarat chief minister Modi, after the communal violence. Basking in the global adulation for India’s rapid economic growth and especially its success in the IT field, the BJP settled on “India Shining” as its campaign theme during the 2004 elections. But this campaign did not play well in vast areas of the countryside left in the darkness of poverty. The slogan simply highlighted for many Indians the stark contrast between the government’s slogans and the harsh reality of their lives. The power of the people saw to it that the spirit of democracy prevails at all times for a shining future. Democracy might have its negative sides such as bringing to power extremist forces that proceed to implement their agendas when in power, but it is a risk that is worth taking. The same democracy then voted out these bigots and brought in a new leadership.

It has taken four years for one of the several thousands of genocide cases that took place in Gujarat, to see justice. The judiciary in India is trying to make sure the perpetrators of this organised crime do not go unpunished. On Friday, a Mumbai court awarded life imprisonment to nine people of the total of 17 accused, for their role in massacring Muslims in a bakery, called the Best Bakery, in Gujarat, in March 2002. When it was noted that witnesses were being intimidated, the Supreme Court ordered the case moved from Gujarat to Mumbai. Though it is sad that one of the main witnesses, Zaheera Sheikh, still would not tell the truth due to fear, the court had no choice but to charge her with perjury.

All this reflects that India is trying to recover from the wounds it inflicted upon itself in the way of communal hatred and violence. It has an independent electorate and a shining democracy. The judiciary is equally independent and this is what has made India a strong force to reckon with. If only we could boast of strong institutions as India, we would emerge as a power in our own right.