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CEC, team get first-hand feedback from riot victims

The three-member team, which arrived in Ahmedabad on Thursday night to assess the situation for holding of assembly polls in Gujarat, went around the Shah-e-Alam relief camp and riot-hit areas of Naroda Patia, Gulbarg Society and Behrampura on Friday morning.

Lyngdoh, Krishnamurthy and Tandon first visited Gulbarg Society where 39 people, including former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, were killed and their bodies burnt.

They inspected the houses and talked to the people, some of whom returned to their homes just three days back. The riot-hit had many complaints regarding rehabilitation, relief and security.

Later, the team went to Naroda Patia, the scene of brutal massacre of 89 people by a mob. An old woman Rashida Begum, when asked about holding of polls now, told them 'my house was burnt, my children are sick and we are still to receive help'.

She said she would not mind elections provided the administration properly carried out rehabilitation of the violence victims.

The EC team also went to Jaltarang Society, where some eleven houses were burnt, besides Gheewali Chawli, Jethabhai ni Chawli and Ghisabhai ni Chawli - all in Behrampura.

They also inquired of the people whether they had identity cards and if they had any problems.

People were forthcoming and narrated their experiences before the visiting team, which went around only one relief camp - Shah-e-Alam.

There were some banners opposing early assembly elections and demanding rehabilitation before polls.

At Shah-e-Alam, the CEC asked Sharief Khan, the camp organiser, on how many people were in the camp and why were they not going back.

Khan replied that there were around 4,000 people in the relief camp and they were scared to go back to their localities because of the "overwhelming feeling of insecurity."

Nasirkhan Rahimkhan Pathan, a teacher of English in a private school, who is from Naroda Patia and has taken shelter in the camp, said, "There is a feeling of insecurity after the release on bail of Suresh Langda and Guddu Chara", who were allegedly involved in perpetuating violence in the area.

He alleged that after their release, the duo met people of the minority community and threatened to break their limbs.

Nasirkhan said elections should be held only after the violence-hit people are properly rehabilitated and feel secure.

PTI

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