Dear Editor,
I read the article titled “15 years since the Gujarat Genocide” in the 16-28 February issue of Mazdoor Ekta Leher. A lot of facts and issues have been discussed in the article. Most undisputedly it is made clear that the preparations for rioting were made two months prior to the event. The voter lists and names of Muslims in the area were already in the hands of the goons. Muslims were targeted without any prior investigation, without trying to find out the real reason behind the fire that broke out. The way in which the state government allowed for the bodies of the Karsevaks from Godhra to Ahmedabad, proves that the state actively organized the mass murder.
The monopoly capitalist media presented the Gujarat genocide as a mere “failure of some intelligence agencies”, the truth is that the state was fully involved in organizing the genocide. If the central and state governments wanted, they could have easily stopped the riots. The truth is that the state itself is constantly dividing the people on communal basis. Even before this the genocide of Sikhs in 1984, the genocide of Hindus and Muslims in the aftermath of the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992, and many such mass murders have been organized by the state. If we seriously look into the issue we find that there have been 54 mass events of communal violence since 1947. Whether the BJP is in power, or the Congress or any other political party, communal violence has been organized. The biggest perpetrators of these mass genocides have not yet been brought to justice. So many investigative committees and SITs have been made. The reports of these committees are made public very late and proof against the big perpetrators is not exposed in them, whereas every person knows who the real culprits are. The governments also show no interest in punishing those found guilty in these reports. To date, only a few small politicians and lower level officers have been punished and the big perpetrators have been gifted with higher posts.
Since the last one year we have been presenting in various places on “communal violence – issues and solutions”. We have taken the presentation now to more than 35 places and everywhere after the presentation people come up to us and tell us how during riots, the neighbours have put their own lives on the line to protect and provide refuge to the victims. Some who were in the army told us that the army units were ready and prepared to stop the riots, but instead were asked to go back to their barracks. In the end everyone agreed that the root cause of communal violence is the monopoly capitalist state and not the people.
A new state and new political system will have to be constructed, which will establish true sovereignty in the hands of the people. All decisions will be people-centered. A state which will punish those guilty of organizing communal violence and will ensure that communal violence does not take place. People will not be divided on the basis of religion by the state. A state that will guarantee the prosperity of the people. To create such a state we will have to build the revolutionary unity of the workers, peasants, women, youth and all oppressed people. I give my complete support to Communist Ghadar Party of India’s call to build this unity and I will fully contribute in this.
Rajesh, Mumbai