It is quite necessary to remove JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar misconceptions. It is a well known fact that if riots of 1984 were carnage, then those of 2002 were again carnage.
In 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by 2 persons, both terrorists, with bullets, which was nothing exceptionally brutal, cruel, inhuman and barbaric to it. The entire Sikh community could not, in any way, be blamed for that murder. It was not an attack on a community, a political party i.e. the Indian National Congress, nor was it an attack on a government. The attackers just wanted to kill an individual.
On the contrary, Godhra was unparalleled in the history of independent India. In Godhra, the train was set on fire and not a single passenger was allowed to escape out, the train being surrounded by Muslims from both sides, armed with petrol bombs, acid bombs and swords. The passengers were burnt to death by the mob in a ghastly manner including children. The attackers in Godhra were not terrorists who had AK 47 rifles, guns, and grenades. They were ordinary local Muslims.
Media and opposition parties have always tried to equate the Gujarat riots of 2002 and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi’s assassination, and many people have fallen prey to the media myths.
Kanhaiya Kumar had alleged that both of them were carried out “with support” from state machinery even as he stressed that there is a fundamental difference between “emergency” and “fascism” as Gujarat violence was carried out through state machinery’s support while the other was caused due to mob frenzy.
“During emergency, goons of only one party were engaged into goondaism, in this (fascism) entire state machinery is resorting to goondaism. There is difference between riots of 2002 and 1984 Sikh riots,” said Kanhaiya Kumar. “There is a fundamental difference between a mob killing a common man and massacring people through state machinery,” he further added.
Kanhaiya had displayed an ignorance of the relationship between state and violence by comparing 1984 with 2002, and calling the massacre of nearly 3,000 Sikhs the handiwork of a crazed mob as opposed to the state-managed Gujarat carnage.
It is no more a hidden secret that Kanhaiya Kumar was addressing the gathering during a panel discussion on “Voices of Azaadi” during the “Jashne-e-azaadi” festival which was organised to celebrate the birth anniversary of the late historian Professor Bipan Chandra.
The celebration comes at a time when JNU students have kick started a “nationalism and azaadi debate” across the country after it came under attack for an event on campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.
Kanhaiya, who is an anti-Modi government activist, should not forget that if there is heavy censuring of Modi and his party after 2002, there cannot be given any kind of relief to the Congress for 1984. No justice for 2002 is complete without the same justice to 1984.
The day is not so far when Kanhaiya would be a part of Congress party as its MP or Minister.
Indian DNA 