It is a regular practice the media and major section of the
polity to prominently highlight the
anniversary of the demolition of the Babri masjid every December and 2002 post_godhra riots revisiting the evets of
murder and rapine of hapless innocents who had had not even a remote hand in
the burning of train at godhra station. Nobody can justify such subhuman
behavior whatever the provocation. It is at least satisfying that the entire
matter is being investigated and
prosecuted under the law of the country by the highest court which will
take its time though never grinding to halt. There is thus an inevitability of
the perpetrators punished for their crimes and the victims getting justice.
There are two other
events of recent history , which are not being given the same prominence by the
media or the polity, 1984 anti sikh riots and the 1990’s expulsion of Kashmiri
pundits from their home and heritage by the armed terrorists. One can at least
get some satisfaction that some convictions have come about in the former but the
case of pundits is not even being pursued in any court of justice by the state
or any nongovernmental organization. Isn’t
it rather enigmatic? What could
be the rationale behind it?
The actual figures of
the casualties in each of these events are brought out to bring out what is
factually true
1.1984 anti sikh riots: Sikhs killed in Delhi _ 2146
In the rest of
India 586
Total Sikhs
killed 2732 (source_
Nanavati Commision Report)
2. 1990 ethinic cleansing of Kashmiri pundits from the
valley. Before their mass exodus from the autumn of 1989 to Oct. 1990,different surveys have been
conducted of terror casualties in that mayhem of progrom against this pacific minuscule minority with figures
varying between 391 to 700. But the most authentic count would be the study of
Shri Badrinath Bhan ‘Nissar’ whose list actually accounts (with all
details of their identity) for 678
killings.
The number of immediate deaths due to the after effects of
migration from the valley(due to scanty
shelter ,open to vagaries of weather and pests in that winter and subsequent summer) is udefinable.
The number of people
who were forced to leave their home, hearth and heritage empty handed
was 3,00,000 . The post migration population is only 0.1% of the total
population against 4% in 1981 According to a 2009 census conducted by the Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti,90 percent of temples have been desecrated,vandalised, burnt and their lands encroached since 1989,the onset of militancy.
3. 2002 Gujrat riots
The number of
people : killed in post_godhra riots
– a/ muslims 790
b/hindus
254
c/missing( later declared dead}233
total
killed 1267 + 59 Hindus at
Godhra=1326 The loss of even a
single human life under such conditions is a blot on the social and security
apparatus.
(Source: official reply from the central govt. in the house
by mos home on11th may ,2005)
But even a comparison of these
figures brings out the magnitude of
criminal paralysis of the state security. In 1984 sikhs were targeted to avenge
the death of Indra Gandhi. In 1990 the Hindus of Kashmir valley were hounded
out of the valley by ISLAMIC terrorists and migrated enbloc just to save their
faith, life and honor. The figures prove that where they were 4% of the valley
population in 1981, they remained only 0.1per cent in 1991. Being an event more than 2
decades past and tale of a community which is of no utility in the political
landscape of India, they are not news_ worthy.
The 2002 victims are comparatively more fortunate in their
misery being hopeful of all the perpetrators getting their due punishment for
their crimes,1984 victims satisfaction
of some of the living criminals being brought to book. They have also received
an apology from P.M. But are the victims of 1990s not deserving a judicial
commission to enquire about the reasons behind their flight and fix
responsibility of state acts of omission in their administrative and security
set up?
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