Gujarat riot victims: Teesta held our hand when even relatives refused

Riot victims on February 28 at Prashant

By A Representative
About 40 victim-survivors from some of the most-affected colonies of Ahmedabad and other towns during the 2002 Gujarat riots – Naroda Patiya, Citizen Nagar, Ekta Nagar, Faizal Park, Visnagar and Gulberg Society – on Saturday raised a strong voice supporting well-known human rights activist Teesta Setalvad, saying the Gujarat government is harassing her because she stood by them during their most critical times, and ensured 126 convictions.
Rupa Modi and Sairaben of Gulberg Society said, referring to the manner in which the riot accused are being set free, and police officials involved for fake encounters are getting bail, this stands in sharp contrast to the way the state government is trying to implicate her in misappropriation of funds meant for Gujarat riot victims.
The victims, who had gathered at the Prashant Centre for Human Rights and Peace in Ahmedabad, made the 13th anniversary of Gujarat riots as the occasion to relate their plight for all these years. Heenaben of Naroda Patiya said, “Only because of Teesta Setalvad that we have been able to get some justice, though so far we have only reached half-way.”
Naimbhai of Naroda Patiya said, “Till the 2002 riots, we had never experienced any communal flareup. It was terrible. My wife was raped and burnt alive. I reached hospital without any clothes.” He added, “Teesta Setalvad helped us at a time when no relative came to help us. Now, she is being sought to be implicated, and the culprits are being set free.”

Ahmedabad riot victims stage protest in Ahmedabad

Yusuf Khan Pathan from Visnagar said he remembers how at the Dipda Darwaja 11 persons were burnt alive. “We did not even get bodies of those who were dead”, he said, adding, “At a time when none came in to support us, Teesta Setalvad alone helped us… Right now, those who are accused are roaming around freely. Muslims should unite. We must go up to the Supreme Court to get justice.”

Usmanbhai of Faisal Park said, as many as eight members of his family – including his three daughters and three sons – were burnt alive during the 2002 riots. “Those who have betrayed Teesta Setalvad should know, we do not want money, but justice. Efforts to buy us over will not succeed. She is even today with us…”
In a statement, Father Cedric Prakash, who heads Prashant, said, “Exactly thirteen years ago, on February 28th 2002, India witnessed one of the bloodiest chapters of history when hundreds of Muslims: men, women and children were brutally massacred, raped, looted, dispossessed in towns and villages in various parts of Gujarat; all this was in the wake of the burning of the S-6 bogey of the Sabarmati Express near Godhra the previous day February 27, 2002.”
“Since then”, he said, “Several victim-survivors with support from others, have relentlessly fought for justice and with a hope that one day they will be give n their rightful place in society. Some measure of justice has definitely been delivered; however, all are aware that the main culprits particularly, those who orchestrated these dastardly acts, have not yet been convicted or even if they have been, they are now out on bail.”

Comments

Modi’s Israel visit strengthened Pakistan’s hand in US–Iran truce: Ex-Indian diplomat

By Jag Jivan M. K. Bhadrakumar , a career diplomat with three decades of service in postings across the former Soviet Union, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Germany, and Turkey, has warned that the current truce in the US–Iran war is “fragile and ridden with contradictions.” Writing in his blog India Punchline , Bhadrakumar argues that while Pakistan has emerged as a surprising broker of dialogue, the durability of the ceasefire remains uncertain.

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

Why Indo-Pak relations have been on 'knife’s edge' , hostilities may remain for long

By Utkarsh Bajpai* The past few decades have seen strides being made in all aspects of life – from sticks and stones to weaponry. The extreme case of this phenomenon has been nuclear weapons. The menace caused by nuclear weapons in the past is unforgettable. Images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from 1945 come to mind, after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities.

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Lata Mangeshkar, a Dalit from Devdasi family, 'refused to sing a song' about Ambedkar

By Pramod Ranjan* An artist is known and respected for her art. But she is equally, or even more so known and respected for her social concerns. An artist's social concerns or in other words, her worldview, give a direction and purpose to her art. History remembers only such artists whose social concerns are deep, reasoned and of durable importance. Lata Mangeshkar (28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was a celebrated playback singer of the Hindi film industry. She was the uncrowned queen of Indian music for over seven decades. Her popularity was unmatched. Her songs were heard and admired not only in India but also in Pakistan, Bangladesh and many other South Asian countries. In this article, we will focus on her social concerns. Lata lived for 92 long years. Music ran in her blood. Her father also belonged to the world of music. Her two sisters, Asha Bhonsle and Usha Mangeshkar, are well-known singers. Lata might have been born in Indore but the blood of a famous Devdasi family...

'Batteries now cheap enough for solar to meet India's 90% demand': Expert quotes Ember study

By A Representative Shankar Sharma, Power & Climate Policy Analyst, has urged India’s top policymakers to reconsider the financial and ecological implications of the country’s energy transition strategy in light of recent global developments. In a letter dated April 10, 2026, addressed to the Union Ministers of Finance, Power, New & Renewable Energy, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and the Vice Chair of NITI Aayog, with a copy to the Prime Minister, Sharma highlighted concerns over India’s ambitious plans for coal gasification and the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR).

Health Day ads spark row as NAPi targets Britannia campaign, criticizes celebrity endorsement

By A Representative The advocacy group Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi) has raised concerns over what it describes as misleading advertising of ultra-processed food products (UPFs), particularly those high in sugar, fat and salt, calling for stricter regulations and an end to such promotions across media platforms.

Search This Blog