| ACTION ALERT: STOP COMMUNAL ATTACKS IN VADODARA (GUJARAT) |
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Sign online petition to ask the government to provide safety to all citizens || AID's work in Gujarat || Demand for immediate action by police department to restore normalcy in Vadodara City Following the demolition of a dargah and two deaths by police firing in Vadodara, the situation has become very tense. On May 2nd night, mobs were roaming the streets indulging in communal attacks, with one man burnt alive in his car and two others stabbed. News reports indicate that the local administration is being ineffective and sometimes provocative in handling the volatile communal situation. News articles: Conversation with Rohit and Trupti, AID's partners in Vadodara
Aniruddha Vaidya spoke on phone to Rohit Prajapati and Trupti Shah, who are associated with AID partners Sahiyar, Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti and Apna Dhabha. They are also members of People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL). They have indicated that the situation is out of control and strong action is needed from citizens and Central government. See summary of conversation below.
Urgent Action Needed
(1) Online petition has been created. Please sign and circulate. http://www.petitiononline.com/gujarat6/petition.html
(2) Make phone calls and send faxes. You can fax the petition or your own letter.
Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister, (91-11) 23012312, 23013149, 23019545 (Phone) 23016857 (Fax)
(91-11) 23092462, 23094686, 23093750 (phone), 23094221 (Fax)
(91-11) 23014481, 23012656 (Phone), 23018651 (FAX)
Police Commissioner of Vadodara 91-265-2432582 Municipal Commissioner of Vadodara 91-265-2433060 Chief Minister of Gujarat 91-79-23222101
Summary of conversation with Rohit and Trupti:
Mobs on the roads. Police was with the mobs (night of May 2nd). Mobs are entering into neighborhoods with predominantly muslim areas ... Eastern part of Vadodara city is badly affected whereas western Vadodara is relatively peaceful. Situation was very very tense last night (May 2nd night) and police was not giving protection and controlling mobs. PUCL pppl were getting calls from many scared people throughout the night. When they tried to reach Police Commissioner he was not accepting calls even on his mobile phone. They sent many urgent faxes to the Police Commissioner alerting him about this. Finally, fearing the worst ... Kirit Bhat (PUCL) called the President of India and gave message of concern to his PA. There is a meeting at 10:30am (May 3rd). They have also sought an appointment to meet with the Police Commissioner. Colleagues of Trupti (who works with a women's organization) and who live in a Muslim neighborhood have been unable to come out of the neighborhood due to the tense situation in the area. We should ask Center to intervene before its too late, infact ask for the Army to be sent in to control the situation right away. The State government and local administration are doing nothing to control the situation and mobs which are intimidating the minorities looking for a Godhra type situation to flare up once again. |
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