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1 dies in Surat as VHP enforces bandh in Gujarat

Dilip Gohil in Ahmedabad and Vikram Vakil in Surat

The 'Gujarat bandh' called by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Thursday to protest against Tuesday's carnage in Kashmir was largely peaceful, except for stray incidents of violence in Surat and tension in Naroda and Khedbrahma, a town in Sabarkantha district. The state police control room in Ahmedabad said curfew was imposed in Khedbrahma.

Two persons were stabbed in Saudagarwad precinct of Surat. One of them died later in hospital. Apart from this there was no incident of violence in the sensitive textile and diamond centre that witnessed some of the worst riots in the wake of the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992.

But there was tension aplenty, with Bajrang Dal goons roaming the streets with staves and daggers and stopping vehicles on the streets. Five shops belonging to Muslim traders were looted on Rajmarg. A few cases of arson were also reported late in the afternoon from the Ved Road area.

The Bharatiya Janata Party's Surat city vice-president, Nitin Bhajiyawala, told rediff.com, "Attacks from the Tower Road area incited the violence." But Congress politician Kadir Pirzada said, "The attacks on Amarnath pilgrims were painful and we condemn them. But bandhs are welcomed only if they remain peaceful."

All the markets in Surat, Ahmedabad, Baroda and Rajkot, the four main cities of the state, remained closed. Most businessmen preferred to err on the side of caution and did not open their establishments for trade. Bus services were suspended and schools were closed for the day.

Naroda, an industrial town near Ahmedabad, was also gripped by tension when a crowd tried to attack the Chamunda dargah. But police moved quickly and brought the situation under control.

In Ahmedabad's Bapunagar area some diamond workers were seen trying to stop a bus, but otherwise the situation was under control. The police were out in strength, and had a very visible presence in all cities of the state.

The VHP claimed that the bandh [general shutdown] was total. Pravin Togadia, VHP general secretary, told rediff.com, "The bandh has been successful. Even the Muslims of Ahmedabad kept their shops closed without any pressure."

A senior BJP politician admitted to rediff.com, "We were given instructions from Gandhinagar [the state capital] to make this bandh successful."

Togadia also announced that on Friday, August 4, a 'Bharat bandh' would be observed to protest against the massacre of pilgrims going to the Amarnath cave shrine in Kashmir.

He said, "We will burn effigies of the terrorists and Pakistan's rulers in the major cities and towns of India to protest against the cruel massacres."

He criticised the central government's talks with the extremist Hizbul Mujahideen, saying, "Those who are talking of peace with the jehadis do not have any knowledge of Islam. Jehadis don't believe in compromise. We will not keep silent and we will reply in their own language."

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