Godhra train burning incident and Muslims

By

Abdul Hannan Siwani Nadvi

The judgment on Godhra train burning incident has been delivered. 63 people acquitted, 31 found guilty. Court will announce the quantum of sentence on 1st March 2011 for those who have been found guilty. The nation, especially, Muslims are waiting the day to collect the copy of the judgment to see on which ground 31 people have been convicted.

The conviction of 31 people shows that court has accepted conspiracy theory, as state government has been saying for long times. Anyway, acquittal of 63 people establishes Muslim’s little faith on the judiciary.

This judgment too will go into the discussion in the society, as it had discussed earlier in Babri Masjid issue. It is a part of democracy, this kind of discussion stabilizes democratic values in a country, like India.

Godhra judgment sends a message of shock for so many reasons:-

1. Muslims believe what had happened in S6 coach of Sabrmati Express was an incident. Banarji commission report confirms Muslim's stand. After the announcement of the judgment, Justice Banarji expressed his determination on his investigations and findings.

2. The report establishes conspiracy theory made and prepared by the commission that had set up by state government which cannot deny its role in post Godhra genocide.

3. Godhra judgment and Babri Masjid judgment have so much similarity. In both cases, Court accepts the reports, findings and investigations made by opposite party that establish Muslims involvement, while the reports, investigations, historical facts and other findings that confirm Muslim's stand rejected.

4. In both carnage which is a blot on Indian forehead; Muslims not only denied full justice but also found guilty and granted punishment.

5. In Post Godhra genocide, only Muslims arrested by the Gujarat police, applied POTA on them, it is another issue, POTA was removed later, their movement was prevented in the name of law, hence special court has been held inside Sabarmati Jail, arrested people treated like they are most dangerous people on the earth, while the perpetrators of post Godhra genocide left free by same police; arrest of someone in post Godhra genocide, insufficient proofs and lack of evidences collected by same police and same security agencies leaded their release. Many of them have accepted their crimes; how they killed Muslims and how they set the homes of Muslims on fire, as Tahelka sting operation confirms, but they are still free and in safe place.

6. The most tragic angle of this injustice is the fall of these people, who have been acquitted, into a conspiracy that landed them into prison, damaged their financial condition and put their precious and unreturned nine years into vain.

7. Looking towards the judgment on Godhra train incident, it can be said that justice has been prevailed for the victims who have lost their loved once in train burning incident, now the time has come for Muslims to be granted justice in post Godhra genocide, in which more than 2000 Muslims have been killed and hundreds of thousands dislocated.

8. Hope of full justice is impossible; while Muslim community lives as a minority community. Not a matter of first or second class citizen. Muslims are in minority, so, if they receive 25% justice, it is enough.

In Babri Masjid case, they have given some parts, and in Godhra incident; 63 acquitted so what they expect more; as a minority community; if they receive 25% justice so it is enough for them, they have to shut their mouth and not ask more justice.

9. As for the Master minds and conspirators of post Godhra genocide and Babri Masjid, so, they are first class citizen, as well as, they are from majority community.

Word Majority itself expresses their acquittal. If they are free and out of the grip of law, so the reason lies in majority community and the road ends here.

As for legal fight for those who have been convicted in Godhra incident case; they have to be granted justice, so this fight should be continued so that justice will be prevailed one day, as well as; Muslims cannot deny the role of judiciary in upholding the justice, as the judiciary is the sole intuition in India that upheld many times Muslim’s little faith and hope on this institution.

After all, the story of injustice cannot be prevented unless Muslims turn themselves into a strong political force.

26-02-2011