|
CJP |
|
|
CJP |
|
 |
|
Gujarat Riots |
Crime Against Humanity
|
Press Release October 12, 2007 Citizens for Justice and Peace condemns the dastardly bomb blasts at the revered Sufi shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti The Citizens for Justice and Peace condemns the dastardly bomb blasts at the revered Sufi shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti here when a bomb went off inside the complex this evening killing two persons and injuring at least 28 as thousands were breaking their day-long Ramzan fast just two days before Eid, a day before Friday prayers. Of the 14 critically injured, only three are local residents while the rest are from states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. The dead were identified as Mohammad Shoaib from Mumbai and Salim from Hyderabad. While money can never make up for the loss of loved ones, the CJP also urges that victims get reparation amounts comparable top those doled out in other bomb blasts attacks. Those injured too should receive assistance for treating injuries. This shrine one of the oldest and at which persons of all faiths worship is a symbol of India’s civilizational syncretism and unity. By targeting the shrine those responsible for the acts have sought to disrupt this unity among our people. Criminal minds and terrorists, of whichever faith or political persuasion, external or internal, are singling out India’s secular ethos for attack. Such acts of terror are aimed at disrupting communal harmony and creating a permanent source of fear and suspicion within civil society ands among peoples. The government should step in and initiate measures to maintain peace. The CJP would also like to take this occasion to remind the Rajasthan state government of severe security lapse on its part especially after the Ministry for Home affairs had issued warnings of possible attacks four to five days before. Even in Malegaon in Maharashtra on September 10, 2008 when blasts had occurred on the open ground the Holy day of Shab-e-Barat, adequate security had been found wanting. Under the circumstances, the investigation should be handed over either to the CBI or to a set of officers of unblemished record to redeem the faith of all peoples. The CJP would also draw the government and people’s attention to the gross politicisation of India’s intelligence machinery that has failed to make a distinction between intelligence collection and floating theories that may or may not be borne out by facts on the ground. This couples with the fact that the state police in many cases uses torture on persons illegally detained after blasts (the recent torture of 23 boys after the Hyderababd blasts in late August is a shocking example) does not in any way redeem the faith of the people.
Vijay Tendulkar
Teesta Setalvad
|
