Modi on day-long 'Sadhbhavana' fast in Godhra

Six activists detained trying to bust the event

PTI | January 20, 2012



Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi today began a day-long fast here as part of his 'Sadhbhavana Mission, a move which comes nearly a month ahead of the tenth anniversary of the Godhra carnage.

Before the fast meant to promote peace, harmony and brotherhood could begin, social activist Shabnam Hashmi and five others of NGO Anhad were detained for organising a convention 'In search of Justice'.

Modi arrived at the fast venue at the State Reserve Police (SRP) ground here at 11 AM where he was greeted by his cabinet colleagues and local MPs and MLAs, besides BJP leaders and priests from various religions.

A huge crowd had gathered at the venue from all sections of society.

Godhra, the epicenter of communal turbulence in 2002, has transformed virtually into a police base camp ahead of the fast. Over 1,600 policemen have been deployed along with 50 specially trained Chetak commandos and other unarmed jawans across the town.

Police said six activists were detained as they wanted to hold a public function despite permission being denied to them.

The fast is being held nearly a month before the tenth anniversary of Godhra carnage. 59 persons, mostly karsevaks, were killed when the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express train was burnt near Godhra Railway station on February 27, 2002 triggering worst-ever riots in the state.

Comments

 

Other News

A 19th-century pilgrim’s progress

The Travels of a Sadhu in the Himalayas By Jaladhar Sen (Translated by Somdatta Mandal) Speaking Tiger Books, 259 pages, ₹499.00  

India faces critical shortage of skin donors amid rising burn cases

India reports nearly 70 lakh burn injury cases every year, resulting in approximately 1.4 lakh deaths annually. Experts estimate that up to 50% of these lives could be saved with adequate access to skin donations.   A significant concern is that around 70% of burn victims fall wi

Not just politics, let`s discuss policies too

Why public policy matters Most days, India`s loudest debates stop at the ballot box. We can name every major leader and recall every campaign slogan. Still, far fewer of us can explain why a widow`s pension is delayed or how a government school`s budget is actually approved. That

When algorithms decide and children die

The images have not left me, of dead and wounded children being carried in the arms of the medics and relatives to the ambulances and hospitals. On February 28, at the start of Operation Epic Fury, cruise missiles struck the Shajareh Tayyebeh school – officially named a girls’ school, in Minab,

The economics of representation: Why women in power matter

India’s democracy has grown in scale, but not quite in balance. Women today are active participants in elections, influencing outcomes in ways that were not as visible earlier. Yet their presence in legislative institutions continues to lag behind. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was meant to addres

India will be powerful, not aggressive: Bhaiyyaji

India is poised to emerge as a global power but will remain rooted in its civilisational ethos of non-aggression and harmony, former RSS General Secretary Suresh `Bhaiyyaji` Joshi has said.   He was speaking at the launch of “Rashtrabhav,” a book by Ravindra Sathe


Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter