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Sane voices in Ahmedabad call for reason

Sheela Bhatt in Ahmedabad

In the simmering cauldron of hate that Ahmedabad has become, there are still some sane voices to be heard.

Indu Jani (55) could have easily joined her neighbours in pelting stones at passing vehicles. But she hasn't and her reasons for not joining the delirious mobs are rock-solid.

"I love Ahmedabad. All my life I have lived in Mumbai, but then I shifted to Ahmedabad because I find Ahmedabadis more affable. But yesterday was a different day. I am angry, unhappy and drained of hope," she told rediff.com.

She said that for the first time in her life she felt that the country was going into the hands of uneducated and 'rowdy' people.

"In the name of Hindu-Muslim tensions I witnessed looting of the shops. I saw my laundry man being looted by people who are living in apartments. How can you tolerate that?" she asked indignantly.

In fact, Jani's clothes were stolen too

"I saw that my own clothes were being stolen by not-so-poor people. I saw that people who own cars stealing. I was angry with myself because I could not stop them from looting. I was frustrated because police were just not around," a shocked Jani said.

The shocking thing was that along with 'goondas' few middle class people and so-called well settled people were on a looting spree, Jani fumed.

"Is this the same India which talks all the time about non-violence and truth? I still can't believe my own eyes," Jani said, her voice choking with emotion.

My area is supposed to be communally sensitive and my house is open on three sides, yet I haven't seen a single policeman in days, she lamented.

"But the most irritating thing was that so many people came out on the roads to see the destruction. It was almost like a picnic for them. Do they know the seriousness of arson?" she asked.

"I fear to talk about religion, I fear god. But the country is going backward in the name of religion in which we believe in so fondly," she concluded.

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