The
convictions of the accused in the 1993
Bombay blasts case are intended to be a form of redress for the 250
families who lost dear ones in the serial blasts and aim to send the
message that the Indian system delivers justice for all crimes,
especially mass crimes of unspeakable brutality. But the bomb blasts
of March 12, 1993 were only the external symptoms of a cancer that
had gnawed away at Mumbai's vital organs with the abject failure of
the state machinery to protect the city's Muslim population during
the horrendous communal riots of December 1992 and January 1993.
More than three times as many Mumbaikars were killed in the riots
that preceded the bomb blasts but the lack of action against the
perpetrators of the riots, who are named in the Srikrishna report,
is clear evidence of the operation of a double standard of justice,
one for the majority community and the other for the minorities.
India and its institutions of democracy, executive, judiciary and
legislature, need to reflect.
The bomb terror of March 12, 1993 must be recalled with the same
horror as the mob terror of December 6, 1992 in Ayodhya, resulting
in the loss of hundreds of lives all over the country. The causes of
the blasts, too, must be revived in public memory. As the Srikrishna
report observed: "The serial bomb blasts were a reaction to the
totality of events at Ayodhya and Bombay in December 1992 and
January 1993… The common link between the riots and the blasts was
that of cause and effect."
Information obtained under the Right to Information Act makes it
clear that successive state governments, no matter what their
political persuasion, have decided to shield the guilty. The
motivations of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena parties
in refusing to implement the recommendations of the Srikrishna
Commission are obvious: among the individuals named in the report
are several of their leaders and cadres, including Bal Thackeray,
Manohar Joshi, Gopinath Munde and Madhukar Sarpotdar. What is more
shocking is the role of the so-called secular parties. Though the
manifestos of both the Congress Party and the Nationalist Congress
Party in 1999 and 2004 promised to implement the recommendations of
the report, these promises remain unfulfilled.
The report also lays bare the biased role played by 31 police
officers, including RD Tyagi, who as then joint commissioner shot
dead nine persons at the Suleiman Usman Bakery labelling them
"Kashmiri terrorists". Another senior police officer, NK Kapse was
promoted after a departmental inquiry exonerated him of any guilt in
shooting down seven persons at the Hari Masjid located at Rafi Ahmed
Kidwai Marg. Save one policeman who was dismissed from service, all
others have escaped lightly despite being found guilty of complicity
in acts of murder and arson.
The RTI findings also demonstrate a complete absence of vigour in
pursuing riot-related cases through the judicial system. Cases have
been closed in a seemingly arbitrary fashion and appeals have not
been filed against acquittals in the lower courts. For genuine peace
to return to Mumbai, there must be justice. Continued injustices
cause schisms to widen, wounds to fester. Justice can only be truly
served by implementing the recommendations of the Srikrishna
Commission report. We urge the state government to do so
immediately. It must devote as much energy and resources to
obtaining justice for the victims of the Mumbai riots as it mustered
up for the victims of the Mumbai bomb blasts. We also believe that
the process must be visible and transparent. Only then will the deep
wounds caused by the targeted violence of 1992-1993 heal, bringing
enduring peace.
Click
here to sign online petition
Public Release of the
Statement/Signature Campaign
Indian Merchants Chamber, Churchgate
August 9, 2007; 5.30 p.m.
Contact: Justice For All Campaign
Telephone: 022-26602288/26603927
Email: sabrang@sabrang.com
