Gujarat Train Fire Debacle

The train fire which triggered state-wide riots in 2002 killing 59 Hindus has, after all been deemed an accident by an investigation despite the extremist Bharatiya Janta Party's adamant stance that it was a 'deliberate act of terrorism by a Muslim mob.'

The erstwhile national government, it's state comrades and even the international media bought the nutmeg that Muslims were responsible. This is an acute and most poignant example of vilified and victimised Muslims' despair: over 2,000 dead, the terrorist label stuck like unibond, justification for pogrom based on the very allegation..let's just stop there.

Given that uncalled for haste in the interim report findings and the decision being timed ahead of key state elections cast a political shadow over the decision, nevertheless, the malignant stigma screams for an exit route.

What happens from here is anybody's guess, thankfully Muslims have powerful tools in the shape of patience and reflection to utilise. Indeed, that is all they can do as anything else tangible, given the hostile environment they live in is frankly not forthcoming. In any case Muslims are yet to be familiar with compensation arising from pogroms be it Srebrenica or Xinjiang. Well, perhaps the release of the 75 people held for 'torching the train' may just be remotely plausible.

Verily, Muslims are yet again victims of hate.