The communal violence in Gujrat is spreading and many innocent lives and property and business worth crores has been destroyed. It is a pity that our country, which should be making a concerted effort to increase its GNP has by the callus and partisan motives of its political leadership has dealt a severe blow to its economy. Thousands of innocents hardworking citizens engaged in creating country's wealth have suffered on account of unpardonable mayhem. The political leadership and the administration has failed to uphold the Constitution and they should be made accountable. The 'hidden agenda' of the current State administration should be exposed before the world community.

I have received many responses to my earlier 'write up' on this tragic episode, and the Dawoodi Bohra mailing lists are providing a forum wherein, we mumineen can express our solidarity, our anguish and exchange views, give solace and help to those of our fellow mumineen engulfed by this madness, and the community opinion thus formed can be put forward in an effective manner before the Indian Government and other world forums.

Bhai Kuresh Goriyawala has rightly pointed out the stark difference and perspective of the American Government's reaction to backlash following the WTC attack and the way Gujrat Government has reacted to the Godhra incident. Those who took law into their own hands at the Godhra station are culprits and they should be dealt severely and also those who provoked the incident in the first place. All were Indian citizens and had committed crime, under the Indian Constitution and should have been dealt according to their crime.

The partisan Gujrat administration took a jaundiced view and instead of going after the perpetrators of crime and safeguarding the citizens of the State, with their willful inaction deliberately allowed the situation to go out of hand, so that 'hidden agenda' of a section of the powerful lobby in the Government has been realized. Instead of giving a religious tag to the perpetrators of crime, if they are looked upon as citizen A or group A provoking citizen B or group B retaliating and taking law into their own hands, the Government taking a swift action according to the law of the land, without getting embroiled in the religious identity, treating the perpetrators of crime as Indian citizens to be dealt according to the law, they would have done a singular service to humanity at large and their efforts lauded by all hard working peace loving citizens of the country.

A section of an influential and powerful lobby in the Government has benefited a great deal by this tragedy, and they should be exposed. As our mailing list concerns with affairs of mumineen, a report sent by a mumin bhai from Dahod caught in the midst of violence has brought out the stark reality of our fellow mumineens suffering solely on account of Government apathy - those mumineen who the other day were busy with generating wealth for themselves and indirectly contributing to the GNP of the country, far far removed and least concerned with the happenings

of Ayodha or any other non related happenings with their lives. Fully engrossed and busy with running of their business establishments and industries, paying regular taxes, law abiding citizens of the country not depending upon Government subsidy or support, self supportive community ( I feel we are one of the few self supportive community of this country) have suffered losses solely because they belong to the minority community, and their only fault is that they have succeeded in life and society by sheer hard work, avoiding murky politics, and as each and every mumin firmly believes by following the hidayaats of Aqa Moula (TUS) and benefiting from his Doa Mubarak.

My Moula must surely be in continual pray and the plight and sufferings of mumineen of Gujrat must be heavy on his mind and heart and he must be seeking succour and strength from Imam-uz-Zaman (S.A.) and as the days of buka and matam are drawing near, he must be reliving the tragedy of Karbala and beseeching Imam Husain (S.A.) to grant sabr and strength to mumineen engulfed in communal violence.

Let us all join in pray, let us all be one with our Moula in praying for all those who have suffered untold tragedy for no fault of theirs. May Allah grant them sabr, strength and protection and give them manifold from His bounties. Allah is the Giver. May Allah grant our beloved Aqa Moula (TUS) sehato -afiyat-ta-kiyamat. Ameen.

Abde Syedna (TUS)

Asgar Fakhrudin.

http://burhani.vdirect.com

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Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2002 21:44:37 +0530

When one is surrounded by adverse circumstances, miracles do happen, and one such story unfolded where a son -in- law living in Calcutta helped in saving forty precious mumineen lives, including those of his father-in-law Bhai Najmuddin Kalabhai and his family members, living in Bhikapura - a village in Baroda District near Godhra.

On the Sunday evening 03/03/02 at around 5 p.m. a gang of rioters descended on Bhikapura, which comprised of 5 influentially looking outsiders, with vermilion spread on their foreheads, who were directing an inebriated mob comprising of villagers from surrounding areas, and immediately the minority shops were identified and burnt. The carnage lasted for several hours, in which a total of 9 mumineen shops were reduced to ashes. However, a total of 15 mumineens managed to escape, it is according to them Aqa Moula's moziza.

The mumineen of Bhikapura were given shelter by one Hindu sarpanch of village Bara (10 kms away) but by morning he was finding it very difficult to guard them, and taking a great risk, he huddled the fear stricken mumineen in his jeep and his son drove them to Pavi Jethpur village to a muslim household, were another 25 mumineen from surrounding villages had taken shelter. Their frantic appeals to their relatives in Godhra to save them over phone did not materialize, as the entire town was under curfew and the police apathy was evident.

Thus frustrated a call was made to Bhai Bakir Abidali at Calcutta. A mumin bhai Alihusain Fakkad, who had junior level contact in the police Head Quarters at Calcutta, arranged for a meeting on the morning of 04/03/02. Those who have working relations with Govt: Departments may be well aware of the work culture of the administration. But in this instance it was Aqa Moula's Doa mubarak, that their case was taken up within an hour and Mr. P.K. Sanyal -DC DD II immediately contacted his counter part in Baroda and detail information was given. At first the concerned officials at Baroda said that they lacked police force and were afraid to venture deep into the villages for rescue. As nothing seemed to transpire after a few more calls, more pressure was put by Mr.Tapan Chatterjee - Deputy Police Commissioner, and by evening finally a police force finally reached Pavi Jethpur, and the fear stricken mumineen, were shifted to the safety of a mumin household in Chota Udaipur. Thus the perseverance and faith in Aqa Moula (TUS) by a son-in-law living 2000 Kms away and with the active co-operation of Calcutta Police - 40 mumineen have escaped inhuman tragedy, and over phone they are repeatedly saying it is Aqa Moula's Moziza, that they have been thus saved. Letter of appreciation to the Commissioner of Police - Mr. Sujoy Chakraborty has been forwarded. Had it not been for the Hindu sarpanch and his brave son, precious muminen lives may have ben lost.

Such human drama amidst inhuman and ghastly tragedy does wonders with our faith and the love and affection for our beloved Aqa Moula (TUS) who is in continual prayers, for the safety of muminnen, grows deep and radiant in our hearts.

May Allah grant Aqa Moula Sehato-afiyat-ta-kiyamat. Ameen.

Abde Syedna (TUS)

Asgar Fakhrudin.