MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

AHMEDABAD, JUNE 26. Indian Social Action Forum CINSAF) will support the cause of the reconstruction
of the tomb of Wall Gujarati, Gujarati poet, which was destroyed during the recent communal riots. The
INSAF organised a "kavi sammelan" here on Tuesday dedicated to Wali Gujarati, the theme being fighting
"cultural fascism''. Litterateurs from all over the country participated in the sammelan and expressed their
resolve to support the cause of reconstruction of the tomb. The initiative to reconstruct the tomb of the
18th century Sufi saint, considered the father of Gujarati ghazals, was taken by the All-Gujarat Minority
Association. A function was scheduled for Sunday to lay the foundation stone, but it was disallowed at the
last moment by police apprehending disturbances. The INSAF national executive member, Saroop Dhruv,
a cultural activist and poetess from Ahmedabad, said the responsibility to protect the cultural heritage of
Ahmedabad was not of one association or religion but of the society as a whole. (Hindu 27.6.02)
28 th June
Riot victims slam Govt inaction (7)
New Delhi, June 27: OVER 50 RIOT victims from Gujarat under the aegis of Qaumi Relief Committee sat
on dharna at Jantar Mantar on Thursday to voice their protest against the Government's failure to provide
rehabilitation, re-settlement, security compensation.
The Committee spokesperson, Shaukat Khan Ashrafi Tyrewala said that despite the assurances of
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the presence of security advisor K P S Gill, the riot victims have
not been given any relief. Repeated reminders were sent to the Government of Gujarat regarding the
demands of riot victims, but no heed was paid, the Committee members said. (Hindustan Times 28.6.02)
28 th June
Gujarat camps will not be closed, court told (7)
GANDHINAGAR, JUNE 27. Even as the first heavy showers on Wednesday night and today has
made life miserable for the riot victims in the relief camps, the Gujarat Government has given an
undertaking to the High Court not to close down the camps till all the inmates are resettled. : The
undertaking was given before a Division Bench of the court, comprising the Chief Justice D. S. Sinha and
Justice J. M. Panchal, on a public interest litigation petition filed by the Citizens for Justice and Peace
following reports that the Government was pressuring the organisers of the camps to close them down
without making any alternate arrangements for the
inmates. Adjourning the hearing for a f month, the court said it would . monitor the Government's actions
in this direction. The pettioners had pointed out that t the camp organisers were being . I harassed and
pressured in the name of inspection, causing , problems to the inmates whose houses were yet to be
repaired (Hindu 28.6.02)
28th June
Rains multiply woes of relief camp inmates (7)
Ahmedabad, June 27: THE FIRST monsoon rains on Wednesday night brought untold miseries to the
thousands of inmates of the relief camps here. Despite the cairo organisers' best efforts rain shelters have
not ye been erected at the ramps, which are in any case under indirect pressure to close down at the
earliest. The overnight rain left most of the 2401-odd inmates of the Danya Khan Ghummat camp hungry
and sleepless. They were forced to spend the night in the school's corridors as the downpour drenched
the open ground. Very few could be accommodated in the classroons. Around mid-day, the camp
organisers were trying to light the wet firewood to cook meals for the inmates. Children were trying to fill
up the puddles of water in the ground with dry soil. (Hindustan Times 28.6.02)
30 th June
State of Gujarat relief camps shocks Sehgal (7)
Ahmedabad, June 29: INDIAN NATIONAL Army veteran and presidential candidate Lakshmi Sehgal said
on Saturday that she was horrified to see that relief camps in the city were being closed down without
having proper arrangements for the rehabilitation of inmates there. On a day's visit to the city, Capt.
Sehgal visited the Shah Alam and Aman Chowk relief camps where many minorities are still languishing in
unhygienic conditions created by the last few days of monsoon showers. At the Shah Alam camp, the
organisers thanked her for caring to visit them and apprised her of the situation prevailing there. They also