Remembering 59 Hindus Lives: Twenty Years After Godhra, What We Have Learnt As Yet ?

India, and the World heard so much of hue and cry and bound to remember the Gujrat riots of 2002, killing of Muslims in Gujrat, and constantly it reminded as Muslim genocide that has happened there when Narendra Modi was the chief minister of the state. However, we never allowed to learn and remember about the “Hindu genocide” by the ‘Muslim Mobs’ which killed atleast 59 Hindus pilgrims.

All they have burnt alive in a train, but sadly we don’t remember their names even after 20 years of the genocide. This is indeed, one-sided narrative is pushed and then Chief Minister is still stand accused despite a clean chit being given by the Supreme Court.

In February 2002, thousands of Ram bhakts (karsevak) travelled from Gujarat to Ayodhya to partake in the Purnahuti Mahayagna at the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi. On 25 February, hundreds of them boarded the Sabarmati Express bound for Ahmedabad, along with other passengers. Two days later, on 27 February, at 7:43 am, the train arrived at Godhra

As the train proceeded to depart the station, someone pressed the emergency brake, and the train came to a standstill at the Signal Falia, a Muslim slum neighbourhood. The train was stopped by numerous chains pull from within, as reported by the driver and afterwards confirmed by the locomotive’s equipment.

Subsequently, the state saw violence across the state. But when one looks at the media portrayal, it seemed to make us believe that, first, the state-wide violence happened in a vacuum; and, second, the victims were Muslims alone. Both of them are well-orchestrated lies. For, Gujarat burnt in 2002 because of the Godhra blaze.

And that a fourth of the victims of the so-called genocide were Hindus. Still the Left-dictated media wants to remember 2002 as “Muslim Genocide”, “Ethnic Cleansing”, “State Terrorism”, “Pogrom”, and so on.

For example, while activists, NGOs and “secular” politicians tried to whitewash the burning alive of 59 Hindus, the less talked about aspect of what happened in 2002 is the fact that there was a second attack on Sabarmati Express only a few hours after the Hindus were burnt alive – the Muslim mob had come back to inflict more damage than they already had.

The Nanavati-Mehta Commission then talks about the second attack that took place on the Hindus in the train by a 2,000-2,500 strong Muslim mob.

RPF Commandant Pandey had rushed to Godhra, and he said that when he reached near the train he had heard announcements made from the nearby mosque through a loud speaker. They were: “Kafiro ko mar dalo, Islam Khatre me Hai.” Soon, a mob of 1,000 people armed with swords and sticks arrived from Signal Falia side.

He asked the mob to back off, but when they didn’t relent, he ordered his RPF men to open fire. Vikram Sinha had fired 16 rounds from his carbine. H.C. Jhala had fired two rounds. Sub-Inspector Mr. Varma had fired 1 round from his pistol. Some rounds were fired by other policemen too.

Nanavati-Mehta Commission report thus states, “The Commission does not find any good reason for rejecting their evidence. It is of the view that the evidence given by these witnesses is quite reliable and deserves to be accepted. It clearly establishes that the attack by the mobs on the train between 11.00 a.m. and 11.45 a.m. did take place as stated by the witnesses. This incident though it had happened after burning of coach S/6 is relevant as it is connected with what happened earlier between 8.00 a.m. and 8.30 a.m.”

“Incongruously, when people talk about this, it is almost always about the ‘riots’. No one mentions the burning alive of 59 karsevaks. No one find about how an Islamist mob got so violent that announcements were made from a masjid to kill the Hindus, the ones returning from Ayodhya. And when the carnage sometimes is still being talked about, very few are aware about the second attack that almost happened before the train with the karsevaks that managed to save themselves left the station”.

That it was found by the Nanavati-Shah Commission, too, never made it to mainstream narrative. Hindu lives, it seems, have always been dispensable. Here is a partial list of those Hindus who were burnt alive in the carnage. We are trying to find the full list of the ones who died that day, lets remember those were forgotten by –

1. Nilimaben Prakashbhai Chaudagar, Ramol, Amdavad

2.  Jyotiben Bharatbhai Panchal, Maninagar, Amdavad

3.  Premaben Naranbhai Dabhi,Gita Mandir, Amdavad

4.  Jiviben Parambhai Dabhi,Gita Mandir, Amdavad

5.  Devkalaben Hariprasad Joshi,Chandlodiya, Amdavad

6.  Zaverbhai Jadavbhai Prajapati,Vastral Amdavad

7.  Mittalben Bharatbhai Prajapati, Maninagar, Amdavad

8.  Nitaben Harshadbhai Panchal, New Ranip, Amdavad

9.  Harshadbhai Hargovindbhai Panchal, New Ranip, Amdavad

10. Pratikshaben Harshadbhai Panchal, New Ranip, Amdavad

11. Niruben Navinchandra Brahmbhatt, Sanket society, Vadnagar

12. Chayaben Harshadbhai Panchal, New Ranip, Amdavad

13. Chiragbhai Ishwarbhai Patel, Vaghodiya, Vadodara

14. Sudhaben Girishchandra Rawal, Chandlodiya, Amdavad

15. Malaben Sharadbhai Mhatre, Ambavadi, Amdavad

16. Arvindaben Kantilal Shukla, Ramol, Amdavad

17. Umakant Govindbhai Makwana, Nava Naroda, Amdavad

18. Sadashiv Vithalbhai Jadhav, Sureliya Estate road, Amdavad

19. Maniben Dahyabhai Dave, Nava Naroda, Amdavad

20. Jesalkumar Manshukhbhai Soni, Vastral, Amdavad

21. Manshukhbhai Kanjibhai Soni, Vastral, Amdavad

22. Ratiben Shivpati Prasad, Municipal quarters, Vijay mills, Naroda, Amdavad

23. Jamnaprashad Ramashray Tiwari, Municipal quarters, Vijay mills, Naroda, Amdavad

24.Satish Ramanlal Vyas, Odhav, Amdavad

25. Shantaben Jashbhai Patel, Roon, Anand

26. Indiraben Banshibhai Patel, Roon, Anand

27. Rajeshbhai Sardarji Vaghela, Khokhra, Ahdavad

28. Shilaben Mafatbhai Patel, Roon, Anand

29. Manjulaben Kirtibhai Patel, Roon, Anand

30. Champaben Manubhai Patel, Roon, Anand

31. Diwaliben Raojibhai Patel, Matar, KHeda

32.Lalitaben Karansibhai Patel, Kadi, Mehsana

33. Manguben Hirjibhai Patel, Kadi, Mehsana

34. Prahladbhai Jayantbhai Patel, Ambika township, Patan

35. Bhimjibhai Karsanbhai Patel, Khedbrahma, Sabarkantha

36. Lakhubhai Hirajibhai Patel, Kubhadharol Kampa, Vadali, Sabarkantha

37. Vithalbhai Parshottambhai Patel, Dungerji ni Chali, Khokhra, Amdavad

38. Shailesh Ranchodbhai Panchal, Sankalp Park Society, Surendranagar

39. Amrutbhai Joitaram Patel, Gamanpura, Mehsana

40. Narendra Narayanbhai Patel, Vanpardi, Mandal, Amdavad

41. Ramanbhai Gangarambhai Patel, Nugar, Mehsana