Whats in your head ?

"A mob of 10,000 violent people had surrounded our locality. We had nothing to save us.. just chilli powder". Murtaza, first hand witness of communal violence in Gujarat, works under the prof. I'm TAing for, just opposite from where my office is. He's from Ahemdabad, where he lived in an area that remained under curfew for 91 days straight. As Murtaza narrated horrid and bewildering incidents to me during the bus-ride home, i just stared in amazement and wondered how people could commit such mindless acts and what motivated them ? Was it plain hatred for other humans ? Was it love for money ? Was it inability to think ???

Murtaza got off at his stop and left me thinking. Religion had been willfully distorted there. The torching of the train was followed by some of the worst riots seen in India since it gained independence. Reports by a number of organisations have criticised the Gujarat state government, run by the BJP saying it allowed those who carried out killings, rapes and arson to have a field day in the early stages of the riots. 27th February, 2003 changed the lives of people forever. People of each community now live in constant fear of being attacked and do not venture into territory dominated by the other. A black indelible scar on a hitherto harmonius and culturally rich geographical area. A scar made through willful malice. The scar will be passed from generation to generation. Stories will be told. Fear will be injected. Hatred will be cultivated.

"Hogi shaanti chaaron ore
Hogi shaanti chaaron ore
Hogi shaanti chaaron ore ek din
Man mein hai vishwaas
Poora hai vishwaas
Hum hongey kamiyaab ek din"


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