MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

a civil society, .individuals concerned and some NGOs to create an atmosphere of care and,
protection for the* victims to help them rebuild their lives: The prime objective of the initiative is to ensure
legal rights and social justice to the survivors of the riots, including filing of FIRs, investigations and
fighting of cases and resisting false counter-cases in the court. It will provide psychological counselling. .
In addition to this, these groups will try to ensure access to government entitlements in terms of
compensation, government schemes and credit from institutions so that the victims can rebuild their
homes and livelihood to the same level as they were before the riots. (Asian Age 21.4.02)
21 st April
Student beaten up, , I-card torn (7)
Ahmedabad: A Muslim student was beaten up here today while he was on his way to the examination
center and his identity card torn by unidentified persons, even as a substantial number of minority
community students stayed away from board examinations for the third successive day in Gujarat despite
the state government’s assurance of full safety and protection to them. (Indian Exp 21.4.02)
21 st April
One person killed in police firing in Gujarat (7)
Ahmedabad: One person was killed and another seriously injured when police opened fire to disperse a
mob indulging in heavy stone pelting and setting fire to houses and shops at Kapdwanj in Kheda district in
Gujarat on Saturday evening, forcing the authorities to impose indefinite curfew. (Times of India 21.4.02)
22nd April
Shanta stoops lower, now he eats his words before the VHP (7)
NEW DELHI. APRIL 21 : FOR daring to speak out on Gujarat, Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister
Shanta Kumar was first made to eat his words. Now, the Sangh Parivar is forcing them deeper down his
throat. After an apology to BJP president K. Jana Krishna-murthy for his "outburst" against the party,
Shanta has now sent one to the VHP, claiming he had never said "many things which have appeared in
the media in my name". Stooping even lower, Shanta — who was threatened with disciplinary action—has
written that he had actually said: "The VHP has carried out historical tasks in the country and it enjoys the
respect of crores of people. Some people indulge in certain activities in the name of the VHP, which have
no connection with Hinduism. (Indian Exp 22.4.02)
22 nd April
Many riot victims yet to get relief (7)
Ahmedabad, April 21: When Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee visited the city on April 4, shamiyanas
were erected by the district administration at Shah-e-Alam and Kankaria relief camps to disburse Rs 1,250
to the affected families towards immediate relief for damages to household goods. That was window
dressing and now, exactly a fortnight later, it's back to reality. The PM's whirlwind tour ended on the very
night of-April 4 and apparently also the hopes of thousands of riot-hit families staying in camps across the
city, a large number of families taking refuge have not been given Rs 1,250. The inmates complain that
the cash doles and the food provided by the administration are just not proving enough for them to
survive. Umrao Pathan, staying at the Vatva dargah, told The Asian Age it would have been nice if her
family had stayed in Shah-e-Alam. "At least we would have got the amount when the PM visited," she
says. (Asian Age 22.4.02)
22 nd April
Violence erupts again in Gujarat, 11 killed (7)
AHMEDABAD, APRIL 21. Eleven people were killed and 30 others injured in police firing and stabbing
as violence engulfed riot-torn Gujarat today even as the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, claimed
that the situation was returning to normality in the State.
After a brief lull in the last few days, violence erupted in several parts of the State today, forcing the police
to impose indefinite curfew in Gomtipur, Bapunagar and Rakhial police station areas in Ahmedabad, Kadi
town in Mehsana district and Kapadwanj and Mehmada-bad towns in Kaira district in central Gujarat. Even
as Mr. Fernandes was meeting officials and discussing with the people the prevailing law and order
situation to assess the possibility of withdrawing the army, several parts of Ahmedabad witnessed group