Desperate to polarise an electorate ahead of the upcoming state elections, a sinister deep vermillion ‘CROSS’ ‘X’ has been spotted in different spots all over Ahmedabad
AHMEDABAD — The communal demon is at it again. Desperate to polarise an electorate ahead of the upcoming state elections, a sinister deep vermillion ‘CROSS’ ‘X’ has been spotted in different spots all over Ahmedabad. Will the State and Central Election Commissions Act?
As news of the Sabrangindia story got around, locals tried to rubbish away the story by saying that the Vermillion Crosses were for garbage collection! Sabrangindia renewed its inquiries with residents of Paldi who shot back, saying ‘How come then only Muslim homes had these crosses?’ The investigations are being carried forward by Gujarat Today newspaper too.
The flats/apartments following colonies with the sinister vermillion CROSS are : Aman colony (corner flats), Tagore flats, Al Aman flats and the Faize e Mohammadi society, all located in Ahmedabad. It is clear that when all else is not working, the extreme right wing majority communal forces are bent on polarising the Gujarati electorate. Besides in the Paldi area too, the Muslim societies have been marked with the mysterious cross.
In addition, other posters warning against ‘Paldi becoming another Juhapura’ have emerged in the city. An example of this was visible in Paldi, a Hindu majority area located in Southwestern Ahmedabad. A banner called upon voters to prevent the area from turning into another Juhapura – a Muslim dominated neighbourhood in New West Zone of the city.
On a saffrom background, the banner said ‘Bachawo, Bachawo(Save, Save), followed by this dire call: “Paldi Ne JuhapuraThatuAtkavo” (Prevent Paldi from turning into Juhapura).” It was spotted at PaldiMahalakshmi circle. The banner did not have any symbol of a political party nor did it carry the name of who was issuing this scary call.After being on display for some hours, it was removed by unknown people after some local residents objected to it.
Juhapura is the mammoth Muslim ghetto situated seven kilometres away from the city centre of Ahmedabad, the economic capital of Gujarat. With a population of about 1,00,000 before the 2002 Gujarat genocidal pogrom, the population has grown to close to 6,00,000 after the pogrom.
Paldi is a mixed locality with both Hindu and Muslim pockets. Corporate offices and city centres of many national and multinational companies such as Gujarat Gas, WaghBakri Tea Group, Claris, Religare, Royal Bank of Scotland and ICICI Bankare located here. It comes under Ellisbridge Assembly constituency.
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