A day after the Gujarat government announced its decision to set up an inquiry commission to study change in demographic patterns in the state since independence and identify the reasons behind the “polarisation” and migration of population, NGOs and human rights activists have reacted strongly to the move. They say the move is intended to further harass the minorities by perverted use of law and blame the minorities for ghettoisation.
Senior advocate in the Gujarat High Court and human rights activist, Girish Patel, said, “The move is nothing but the state government’s continuing communal agenda by perverted use of law. My hunch is that the commission will come out with a report blaming the minorities for the ghettoisation.”
Patel said one of the reasons for the ghettoisation is the fear factor owing to repeated communal tension, with the successive state governments doing little to check it.
“So, what is there to inquire about it?” he asked.
According to Patel, some polarisation of population had occurred after the 1969 riots as well, but it was not as sharp as in 2002.
“The situation is very serious today. If someone in a Hindu locality wants to sell his house to a Muslim, he is attacked by the neighbours,” said Patel, adding that he would like to know what the Modi government is doing to stop this trend.
“It is political hypocrisy. Those who engineered polarisation now want a debate on it, which, instead of reducing polarisation, may end up aggravating it,” said senior High Court advocate Mukul Sinha.
If the government is so sensitive to the problems of the minorities, why is it not providing basic civic amenities in Juhapura, the biggest Muslim ghetto in Gujarat with no road, drainage or drinking water supply?” Sinha questioned.
He also questioned the appointment of Justice (retd) B J Sethna as chairman of the commission. “The choice of judge is very inappropriate because he was involved in several controversies till his resignation,” Sinha said.
In the Best Bakery mass murder case of 2002, the Supreme Court reversed Justice Sethna’s (Gujarat High Court) judgment— in which he had upheld the verdict of the Vadodara Fast-track Court, acquitting all the accused— and ordered a fresh trial.
Gagan Sethi of the Jan Vikas Trust said ghettoisation in Gujarat has been taking place even on caste lines. “There are housing societies and multi-storied complexes where people of only one caste are allowed to buy houses. Why is the state government not doing anything to stop this? If the Modi government is really interested in mixed population localities, it must ensure that the houses constructed by the Gujarat Housing Board are allotted percentage wise to all religious communities,” Sethi said.
Fr Cedric Prakash, a Jesuit activist and the director of an NGO, Prashant, opined: “The very nature and tone of this so-called inquiry commission is bound to target the minorities of the state and add to the already existing fear among these groups. The move is bound to polarise even more and make the minorities sitting ducks (because of minority mapping) for the hate propaganda and violence by right wing Hindu groups who have the patronage of the state government, as is evident when the Christians were attacked in 1998-99 and the Muslims in 2001.
He added, “Minorities in the state continue to be victims of overt and subtle intimidations, harassment and attacks.”
Earlier in 1999, said Fr Prakash, the Gujarat government had initiated a survey of Muslims and Christians of the state, but it was challenged in the Gujarat High Court and the latter declared it “unconstitutional”. The state government was then forced to withdraw the survey.
“It is well known that most minority groups in Gujarat live in highly polarised situations,” said Fr Prakash.
So, what the government should ensure, according to him, is that every citizen be treated with respect and dignity and with freedom guaranteed by the Constitution.
Gandhian activist Chinubhai Vaidya feels the move is “politically motivated” to tell the world that displacement took place even during the Congress regime. “But I don’t think it will serve any purpose beyond this,” said Vaidya.
“You don’t need a scientific survey to show how polarised cities in Gujarat have become in the 15 years of BJP rule,” opined People’s Union of Civil Liberties president J S Bandukwala.
“Can a Muslim buy or rent a house in Alkapuri or Karelibaug in Vadodara or Vastrapur or Khadia in Ahmedabad?” he asked.
Source: Indian Express
