Jamia Journal Independent Student-run News Website of Jamia Millia Islamia (a Central University)
The All India Students Association (AISA), Jamia Unit, held a rally in Batla House, Jamia Nagar, on Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012, to mark the tenth anniversary of the Gujarat pogrom of 2002.
People participating in the rally chanted slogans demanding justice for the victims of Gujarat violence and decried the government’s failure in holding the culprits responsible.
In an interview with Jamia Journal, a rally participant named Ruman Khan, an AISA member and a graduate student in the department of sociology said: The Gujarat riots took place in 2002 and yet the culprits who are responsible for the massacre roam free. Moreover, they rule like princes in their state. This rally is in protest of this fact.
He added, “This rally is also in regard to the Batla House encounter, Malegaon and the Forbesgang issue.”
Expressing similar sentiments, Sandipan Talukdar, AISA’s Delhi State President, said: Today’s rally is in protest of the the fact that the culprits of Godhra genocide have not been punished even after 10 years of the crime. The genocide was a reflection of communal fascism in this country, of which the RSS is a representation.
“AISA demands that the UPA government bring the culprits to book immediately,” he stated.
He went on to say: The UPA government is playing a double game; on one hand it’s busy propagating its secular, liberal face, while on the other, they fail to punish the culprits of the Godhra genocide.
The rally started from Batla House chowk and ended near the Batla House bus stand. The rally seemed to comprise of about 200 people, which included students and Batla House residents.
Scenes From the Event:
Watch a very short video of the rally on Youtube.
Link: http://youtu.be/kMJz6QS_vss
