Hindu fundamentalists have time and again used violence as a tool against Muslims and other minorities to demonstrate that India is a land of Hindus and the 2002 Gujarat riots which is one of the most violent of genocides in post colonial India exemplifies that ideology, said M. H. Jawahirullah, M. L. A., Ramanathapuram and president, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi.
Addressing a protest meeting held by ‘Joint Action Committee Against Religious Fanaticism' in condemnation of the Gujarat riots and demanding speedy justice, here in Madurai on Monday, Mr.Jawahirullah pointed out how all these commissions which were appointed by the Government in various cases of violence against minorities had failed to deliver justice .
He also condemned the way in which corporate capitalists and certain sections of media have been trying to construct a different reality that Gujarat as a State has made great progress under Modi's leadership. “It is a myth, Gujarat over the years has been among the prosperous states and this was due to its geographical location and the wealth of natural resources and even during the time when Congress ruled the state it was the same.”
While thanking the various human rights organisations, that stood by the minorities whenever they faced trouble, Mr. Jawahiruallah said that the protests will continue till justice is rendered.
Henri Tiphagne, executive director, People's Watch, in his address said that people who believe in human rights and rule of law would always stand by the victims of Gujarat riots till justice is rendered.
This protest remembers those innocent people who died as victims of “state sponsored terrorism.” He further said that not only justice has been delayed for so long but the victims were denied relief amount.
He also demanded that the Nanavati Commission should be scrapped.
Speaking earlier, Communist Party of India's Radhakrishnan, said that the State and police here in Tamil Nadu along with sections of media are setting a bad precedent by painting a rosy picture about the migrant labourers and North Indians as outsiders. The act to enumerate the migrant labourers and putting them under surveillance is highly condemnable as it questions the very basic foundations of a democratic state.
At the end of the protest meeting all the members held a candle light ceremony in memory of the innocent victims who were killed in the riots.
Mahaboob John, Marumalarchi Labour Front leader, John Moses, State president, Tamil Nadu Janata Dal (Secular), Parthasarathy, organizer, C.J.Rajan, coordinator, Joint Action Committee Against Religious Fanaticism and R.Thirunavukkarasu, Institute of Human Rights Education also spoke.
