Muslims in Gujarat wary of polls

DailyIndia.com

Godhra (Gujarat), Nov.10: Muslims in Gujarat are reportedly cynical about the outcome of the December election in the state, as they believe that Chief Minister Narendra Modi is a dreaded figure, a man not to be trusted

The next of kith and kin of the 2002 Gujarat riot victims are particularly disillusioned with the State Government's dillydallying in providing them justice.

These two factors have made the minority community quite apprehensive and apathetic to the outcome of election results.

"In 2002 my father, uncle and cousin were allegedly killed in riots and there is no trace of them since then. In 2002 there were elections andhere will be elections again in 2007, the government will come and go, but it has no bearing on our fate," said Tahir Qasim Bari, a member of minority community.

While Tahir waits for justice in vain there are others like Shaukat who feel that violence may be again repeated to score brownie points before thetate election.

"The memories of the 2002 riots are still fresh in our minds. In the forthcoming election we fear that what happened in 2002 may again beepeated," said Shaukat another member of the minority community.

The 2002 riots created a wedge between the majority and minority community in the state. But now it is time to heal wounds, the two communities are now trying to close the gaps and live together.

The minority people in the state have no ill feelings against the majority population but fears that the government may play the communal card to fulfil its own unscrupulous political agenda.

"The Gujarati community especially Hindus, want to segregate the Muslims or maintain a distance from them. But the government wants to create a wedge so that they can get the majority votes," said Sayed Oman, a member of the minority community.

The terms of the legislative assemblies of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh are due to expire on December 26, 2007 and March 9, 2008 respectively.

The first phase of elections in Gujarat will be held on December 11, 2007 and second phase will be on December 16, 2007 and the counting of votes for both the phases will be on December 23, 2007.

Over 36 million voters are eligible to elect the 182-member assembly in Gujarat.

The BJP had faced criticism for failing to control Hindu mobs across Gujarat in February and March after 59 Hindus were burnt to death in a trainy a suspected Muslim mob. More than 1,000 people, mainly minority Muslims, died in the riots.