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Train
Attacked In Western India, Death Toll Reaches 30
By
IOL South Asia correspondent
NEW
DELHI, Feb. 27 (IslamOnline) - The death toll in a passenger train attacked this
morning in Godhra in the western Indian state of Gujarat, has reached 30 and
could go up, according to local authorities.
There
were around 75 passengers in the bogey which was completely gutted. Four bogeys
were set on fire. Dozens of injured have been admitted to a local hospital for
treatment.
The
train was carrying Hindu volunteers on their way back from a ceremony preceding
the construction of the controversial Ram Temple at Ayodhya.
Hindu
extremists are converging at Ayodhaya at present to start the construction of a
grand temple at the site of the martyred Babri Mosque. The passengers in the
train were part of a 2500-strong contingent which had gone to Ayodhya February
22.
A
makeshift temple already exists at the site since the demolition of the Babri
Mosque in December 1992.
Hindu
extremists are adamant on building a grand permanent structure despite the fact
the Mosque-Temple case is sub judice and the Indian government has announced it
will not allow any change in the status quo unless there is an amicable
Hindu-Muslim settlement or a court order is issued.
The
state government has issued shoot-at-sight orders in the town in order to
prevent the trouble from spreading to new areas. An indefinite curfew has been
imposed in the town.
Additional
police force, including two companies of the State Reserve Police, have been
rushed to Godhra. Senior ministers of the state government have been flown to
Godhra to monitor the situation.
Gujarat chief minister, Narendra Modi, told the state legislative assembly that
he has ordered a “high-level inquiry” into the incident. He also announced
an ex-gratia compensation of 0.2 million rupees (over U.S.$ 4000) to the next of
kin of each of the dead.
Prime
Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was quick to condemn the attack on the Sabarmati
Express in Gujarat. "It is a very unfortunate and tragic incident,"
Vajpayee told reporters. "We are very worried about this incident. National
security will be maintained at any cost."
Home
Minister L.K. Advani, too, was quick to react. He has asked the Gujarat
government to take 'expeditious' action against the arsonists who had set fire
to the Sabarmati Express near Godhra this morning.
Gujarat
Chief Minister Narendra Modi has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident
where the Sabarmati Express was set on fire by a mob, said to be 'Muslim'.
In
earlier similar incidents, when 'Hindu' mobs attacked Muslims and Christians,
same officials waited for 'reports' before issuing any statement and even
offered clean chit to the criminals.
Reports
said a 2,500-strong mob set fire to the train just outside the railway station
in Godhra town. The mob was reportedly enraged by provocative slogans raised by
the VHP activists. They attacked the train just after it left Godhra railway
station at 6.30 am.
Local
officials have been quoted as saying that it was possible that some passengers
from Godhra traveling by the train had been harassed along the way by the VHP
activists returning from Ayodhya and they had incited the mob to attack the
passengers after getting off the train.
The
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), which is spearheading the Temple movement, has
called for a statewide strike to protest against the burning of the train. It
said the government must protect the Temple volunteers.
Griraj
Kishor, VHP secretary general, said the incident would in no way deter the VHP
from going ahead with its Ram temple construction plans which are slated to
start March 15.
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