Ten years of Godhra carnage, this Ishrat lived to tell her tale

February 28, 2012

Modi
Ahmedabad, February 28: There are two Ishrat Jahans making CM Narendra Modi government's life difficult today. While one was killed in a fake encounter and the case has resulted in many cops being booked and pushed behind bars. The other is guarded by police as she is a witness to the Naroda Patia massacre. She has recently recorded her statement with special investigation team (SIT) and has vowed to fight for justice till the end. This Ishrat Jahan is a spunky 32-year-old mother of three who lives in Hussain Nagar in Naroda Patia. She was only 22 when she witnessed the horror of mob, including her Hindu neighbours, rummaging through the entire neighbourhood with arms in their hands, looting homes, setting them afire.

While Mumbra-based Ishrat Jahan (19) was gunned down in 2004 along with three men - alleged LeT operatives - accompanying her, this Ishrat managed to escape with her husband, two small children and four brothers and sisters. The road to justice however was long for both of them. Incidentally, the SIT was instrumental in getting the wheels of justice move for both of them. In 2011, SIT submitted a report that Ishrat Jahan was killed in a fake encounter and that she was already in police custody before her killing. This led to the investigations now being handed over to CBI. Ishrat Jahan of Naroda Patia became a witness first with the SIT specially appointed by the Supreme Court to probe further into the Naroda Patia massacre.

She was a witness to the mayhem but in her words she thought you could be a witness only if your had witnessed a murder. "I used to stay in Shah Alam relief camp but never gave my statements. I was too worried about how will I survive, will get my sisters married and manage food for my children. It was only in 2008 when I saw SIT team recording statements that I realized that I could be a soldier in the army needed to secure justice for the Naroda Patia where 93 people were killed," says Ishrat. This unlettered woman has recorded her statement with SIT and also given her testimony to the court. In the meantime, she also realized that her husband was struggling alone and was not getting enough business to sustain the family.

"He does hand embroidery and the invasion of machines has left him without business. I knew stitching but never earned. Since three years, I started tailoring and now also teach sewing to girls in the locality. I have finally managed to stand on my feet," says Ishrat who earns Rs 3,000 per month. She got her two sisters married, one while living in the relief camp and other later. Her brother, however, has wandered on the wrong side of law. "What happened in 2002 changed him. My focus is to straighten him," says Ishrat who says she is confident that her fight for justice will bear fruit. "I started receiving threat calls the minute I named people, living across the street. But I am not afraid. There is law on my side and there are people who believe that injustice was done. The guilty will be punished," she says.

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News Network
May 5,2024

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Maharashtra Leader of Opposition Vijay Namdevrao Wadettiwar waded into controversy after he alleged that an RSS-affiliated cop, and not terrorist Ajmal Kasab, killed former state anti-terrorism squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

In a video statement released on Saturday, the Congress leader alleged that the bullet that killed IPS officer Hemant Karkare did not come from the gun of Ajmal Kasab or any of the other nine Pakistani terrorists involved in the attacks.

Instead, he claimed it came from the weapon of a police officer allegedly "dedicated to" the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Wadettiwar also accused Ujjwal Nikam, the special public prosecutor in the case and a BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Mumbai North Central, of suppressing this information, labeling him a "traitor."

He questioned the BJP's decision to nominate Nikam for the Lok Sabha polls, accusing the party of protecting traitors.

“During the probe, key information was out. However, it was suppressed by Ujjwal Nikam, who is a traitor. My question is, why is BJP protecting a traitor and nominating such a person for Lok Sabha polls? By doing this, BJP is protecting traitors," Wadettiwar alleged, Times of India reported.

These allegations drew strong responses from Nikam and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Nikam condemned Wadettiwar's statement as "baseless and irresponsible," expressing pain at the doubts raised over his integrity.

He emphasized the legal steps taken to convict Kasab, calling Wadettiwar's remarks an insult to the victims of the 26/11 attacks.

“What a reckless statement is being made. I am pained by such baseless allegations, raising doubts over my integrity. It clearly reflects the level of electoral politics. I never thought politicians will stoop to such low levels. For political gain? He (Wadettiwar) is insulting not me, but the 166 departed souls and all persons injured in the 26/11 attacks," Nikam said.

He added, “They (Congress) hold Kasab as innocent. Even Pakistan had accepted that Kasab was involved in the conspiracy and in the terror attack on India and was guilty".

He said Indians very well know the legal steps he had taken to ensure Kasab’s conviction.

Nikam said citizens of the nation would on 4 June, the day of results for Lok Sabha polls, give their reply to such allegations, adding he wished not to dignify the “desperate disinformation” with a further response.

Meanwhile, BJP leader and Deputy CM Fadnavis said, “Our alliance is with Nikam, while Congress has joined hands with Kasab".

Shiv Sena spokesperson Kiran Pawaskar said NIA should arrest Wadettiwar and ask him why he was defending Kasab.

Pawaskar criticized the Congress for allegedly supporting terrorists and expressed surprise at the silence of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on the matter.

“From Wadettiwar’s statement, it appears Congress is supporting terrorists who attacked Mumbai. More shocking is the fact that Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has maintained silence over the episode,” he said.

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News Network
May 14,2024

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Jerusalem: Israel and India will continue to deepen their bilateral ties and lead to greater prosperity, Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday.

Katz was responding to India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s message on the occasion of Israel’s 76th Independence Day.

“Thank you for the warm wishes, FM @DrSJaishankar. In celebration of our Independence Day, Israel and India will continue to deepen our ties and lead to greater prosperity,” Katz said in a post on X.

Earlier in the morning, Jaishankar posted on X a 2:03-minute video showcasing the India-Israel relationship through photos of various bilateral meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, himself, and other Indian ministers with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other ministers.

“Congratulate FM @Israel_katz and the people of Israel on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of Israel’s Independence. Mazel Tov!,” Jaishankar posted along with the video and repeated the same message in another post in Hebrew.

Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu wished her Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog as she said on X, “I join the people of India in conveying our best wishes to President @Isaac_Herzog, and the people of Israel on the 76th anniversary of Israel’s independence.”

Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla too took to X to post his greetings to his counterpart Amir Ohana, the Speaker of The Knesset: “On the occasion of Israel’s 76th anniversary of independence, I congratulate Speaker of the Knesset @AmirOhana and the people of Israel.”

Both Murmu and Birla also included greetings in Hebrew.

“Thank you, my dear friend @ombirlakota. May the friendship between our nations grow stronger,” Ohana replied to Birla and also added a line in Devnagari script in Hindi, loosely translated as, “Thank you my dear friend Om Birla. May the friendship between our countries be stronger.”

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News Network
May 10,2024

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The Supreme Court Friday granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till June 1 in the excise policy case.

The top court, however, stated that it will be passing a detailed order over the matter soon.

On Thursday, the Enforcement Directorate had opposed the move to grant interim bail to Kejriwal saying that “any special concession” to him will “amount to anathema to the rule of law and equality… thereby creating two separate classes in the country viz. ordinary people, who are bound by the rule of law as well as the laws of the country, and politicians who can seek exemption from the laws”.

The ED had arrested Kejriwal on March 21 in the excise policy case.

“The right to campaign for an election is neither a fundamental right nor a constitutional right and not even a legal right,” the ED said, maintaining that to its knowledge, “no political leader has been granted interim bail for campaigning even though he is not the contesting candidate”.

After the ED filed its affidavit, the AAP, in a press release, said, “The legal team of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP National Convenor, Shri Arvind Kejriwal, has raised strong objection to the affidavit filed by the Enforcement Directorate opposing interim bail in the Supreme Court.”

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