MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

(to the state) how many darululmas (madrasas) are functioning in their districts/cities and where they are
located." (Asian Age 8.5.02)
8 th May
Opposition walks out of LS over Gujarat relief camps (7)
New Delhi, May 7: The entire Opposition staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour on
Tuesday over the Vajpayee government's response on trie issue of threatened closure of relief camps in
riot-hit Gujarat.. They were protesting against Union home minister L.K.: Advani's reply as he said that the
government would discharge its constitutional ditties. Responding to the MPs' concern, Mr Advani said
that the Centre had no information about the proposal to close down the relief camps in Gujarat. The
Union home minister, visibly reluctant to commit himself, told the House that the government is conscious
of its duties under Article 355 of the Constitution and "we will discharge them thoroughly." "Both the
Houses have already discussed .the Gujarat issue in detail and I don't think that I need to say anything
more on the matter," he said. (Asian Age 8.5.02)
8 th May
Post-Godhra violence pre-planned: AIMPLB (7)
AHMEDABAD, MAY 7. A delegation of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board which visited some of the
riot-hit areas of Gujarat did not find any evidence to'suggest that the Godhra carnage was "preplanned"
but is confident that the post-Godhra violence against the innocent Muslims was "pre-planned and
pre-meditated." Talking to media persons here today, the AIMPLB secretary, Abdul Raheem Qurashi,
rejected the ruling BJP's theory that the post-Godhra violence was the "natural reaction" of the Godhra
train carnage. Even while strongly deploring the train carnage and demanding the strictest possible
punishment to its perpetrators "after fair and objective investigation and due process of law," he said, "by
no stretch of imagination" the post-Godhra violence could be termed as a reaction to the train carnage.
(Hindu 8.5.02)
8th May
Mob attacks ambulances carrying riot victims (7)
Ahmedabad> The myth of VS Hospital being a safe haven for Muslim patients lay shattered as a mob
attacked two ambulances carrying victims and stabbed a 22 year old youth who was accompanying his
brother injured in police firing. The ambulances were carrying two dead and two injured in the rioting at
Juhapura. They are killing our people.. they should not be treated here, the mob reportedly shouted,
blocking the way of the ambulances. I got down from the ambulance thinking that the people had come to
help the patients. As soon as I stepped out they started beating me and one of them also slashed me on
the neck., a victim told Times News Network showing the neck injury. (Times of India 8.5.02)
9 th May
Violence unabated in Gujarat, 8 killed (7)
Ahmedabad May 8,: Violence continued unabated in parts of Gujarat today claiming eight more lives. The
death toll since Sunday has mounted to 27. Five people were killed and 13 injured when police fired to
disperse mobs in Maninagar area of the city after a bomb blast spread panic in the area which was under
curfew. Nineteen people were injured in violence in the Kalupur area. A person was stabbed to death in
Bhiloda town of Sabarkantha district last night while two bodies with stab wounds were recovered by the
police from Gyaspur village in Ahmedabad rural district. (Statesman 9.5.02)
9 th May
Gujarat BJP was keeping tabs on Muslims from 99 (7)
New Delhi, May 7: A secret circular, issued by Gujarat's director of police (intelligence) to the top brass of
the state police in 1999, reveals the hostile attitude of the BJP-led state government towards Muslims over
the last three years. The circular directs all police commissioners, district police officers and range
IGPs/DIGPs to "intimate details of persons (Muslims) involved in communal riots which occurred in their
city/district during the last five years — viz offence registration section, place, what was the judgment by
court, how many times the person was booked under CrPC Sections 107,151,110, or Pasa, Nasa."
According to the circular (No. D 2/2,-Com/Muslim/Activity/84/99 of 172-2-99), which is published in a