Gujarat, the Making of a Tragedy

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Is Gujarat a turning point for India? The events at Godhra and the subsequent communal violence in Gujarat mark a grim chapter in contemporary history, comparable to the Babri Masjid demolition and the 1984 massacres. The brutality, persistence, and widespread nature of the violence, particularly against women and children, alongside the complicity of the State and the ghettoization of communities, make Gujarat's events particularly alarming, especially in one of India's most 'well-off' states. This book serves as a permanent public archive of the tragedy in Gujarat, utilizing eyewitness accounts from various media, fact-finding commissions, and contributions from public figures and intellectuals. It offers a chilling account of how the state was allowed to burn, detailing the circumstances leading up to Godhra and the violence in Ahmedabad, Baroda, and rural areas. It examines the roles of the police, bureaucracy, Sangh Parivar, media, and the tribals, as well as the economic and international implications of the violence, the challenges of relief and rehabilitation for victims, and their quest for justice. The disturbing picture that emerges highlights the ease with which citizens' rights, particularly those of minorities, can be violated with official sanction. The lessons from this violence must be heeded to prevent similar occurrences elsewhere.