The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Panel report

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Thursday, Jan 20, 2005

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Panel report

Sir, — The Justice U.C. Banerjee Committee, probing the Godhra tragedy in which 59 passengers of the Sabarmati Express were torched in 2002, has said the fire was accidental. It is unbelievable that a fire accident could cause such large-scale communal clashes. One can only say politicians used the opportunity to create hatred between two communities.

P. Krishna,
Chennai

* * *

Sir, — While the BJP has rejected the findings outright, the Congress has accepted them. Both the parties are trying to interpret such a serious incident to suit their political interests. The ordinary citizen, as usual, is confused. One thing is certain though. The report is not going to make any difference to the victims of the Godhra and the post-Godhra carnage.

Sonali Sarin,
Mathura, U.P.

* * *

Sir, — Irrespective of what started the fire in the S-6 coach, the post-Godhra communal carnage would not have occurred if the majority community had acted rationally. As for whether the accident was used for political gain, students of history know only too well that all wars are part of political conspiracies.

M.S. Sujith,
Kothamangalam, Kerala

* * *

Sir, — It has taken us three years to get somewhere near the truth on an incident that was used by the Hindutva forces to enact the most infamous mayhem of our times. It is time we realised the vulnerability of the administration, the media, the police, and the people as a whole to brainwashing propaganda by vested interests.

M.A. Siraj,
Bangalore

* * *

Sir, — Now that an inquiry has revealed that the fire was an accident, who is accountable for the thousands of innocent lives lost? Will the orphaned children get back their parents and women their husbands and children?

S. Fazulur Rahaman,
Kurnool, A.P.

* * *

Sir, — Irrespective of whether or not the fire was accidental, justifying the killing of more than 2000 innocent people on the basis of the incident is nothing short of justifying murder. The riots in Gujarat, like the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, will remain a blot on India's image.

S. Sudhir Kumar,
Athens, Ohio

* * *

Sir, — The report is a clear case of playing politics. It is obvious that our leaders will leave no stone unturned to get political mileage from it on the eve of the Assembly elections.

S.P. Parasar,
Varanasi, U.P.

* * *

Sir, — The heavy casualty in the S-6 coach is proof enough that it was torched with highly inflammable material in large quantity, making escape impossible. The panel's observation that it is unbelievable that kar sevaks armed with `trishuls' allowed themselves to be burnt without a murmur is interesting. Is the trishul a fire extinguisher?

J.N. Bhartiya,
Lucknow

* * *

Sir, — Had the fire been accidental, passengers would have tried to escape by jumping out of the coach. Is it not more likely that they were unable to come out because external forces prevented them from doing so?

C. Lakshmi Narain,
Chennai

* * *

Sir, — The release of the report just before the Assembly elections raises serious doubts. The Election Commission should monitor the use of its contents during campaigning.

V. Arun Dev,
Thiruvananthapuram

* * *

Sir, — The release of the report is meant to capture the minority vote bank in Bihar. Unless the Election Commission strictly ensures that the content is not used in electioneering, it will set a very bad precedent.

M.S. Ananthanarayanan,
Chennai

* * *

Sir, — Such a sensitive report should not have been released when the election process is on in three States.

S. Lakshmidharan,
Chennai

* * *

Sir, — Many argue that commissions of enquiry are only a waste of taxpayers' money, and that their findings have rarely been acted upon. But then who said their institution and findings are always for the people? It is a game played by political leaders of the day to achieve their ends.

David Peniel,
Tiruchi, T.N.

* * *

Sir, — Just imagine a change of Government at the Centre, with the BJP in power, Narendra Modi as Railway Minister and the appointment of another enquiry commission into the same incident. What are likely to be its findings? Men may come and men may go but politicking goes on forever.

Krishna Rajgopal,
Chennai

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