People's Democracy

Left Delegation Visits Jaipur

Sudha Sundararaman

A LEFT delegation comprising of CPI(M) Central Committee member and Rajya Sabha MP Tapan Sen, CPI(M) Central Committee member Sudha Sundararaman and CPI national secretary and Rajya Sabha MP D Raja visited Jaipur on May 15, 2008 to assess the ground situation and to extend support to the victims of the serial bomb blasts that rocked the Pink City on May 13, 2008. They were accompanied by Rabindra Shukla, general secretary, CITU, Rajasthan, Amra Ram, CPI(M) MLA, Wakab- Ul Ahad , Sumitra Chopra and others as well as D K Changani general secretary, AITUC, Rajasthan, Kunal , Premji, Nisha Sidhu and other leaders from the Rajasthan unit of the CPI.

The team reached Jaipur by about 12 o� clock, to find that curfew had been imposed on a large part of the city and especially the walled city where the blasts had taken place was being kept under strict surveillance. The delegation made its way to the blast sites through deserted streets and shops that had been shuttered down for the second day in succession. It was difficult to recognise the busy market place that throngs with noise and activity and people at any time of the day in that unnatural and eerie silence enveloping the bazaar area.

Blast site

inspected

From the first stop inside the Sanghaneri Gate, near the famous Bapu bazaar, to the last one near the renowned Chandpol Hanuman temple- called the Sankatmochan Mandir, the team saw with growing consternation and anguish the extent of damage that had been caused by the bombs placed carefully across nine spots in the walled city. The point at which the newly bought cycles with the bombs strapped to it were placed could easily be discerned by the half foot depression that the explosion had caused on the cemented road. The shrapnel from the bombs included nails, pellets, ball bearings, etc, and the force of the explosion was such that holes had been punched in electricity poles and steel drinking water containers. Trees near the explosion spot showed deep lacerations at a height of six to seven feet. Walls on the opposite side of the road had got chipped in some places. Concrete structures near the spots were pitted with pock marks.

Thus, the bombs had been made in such a way as to inflict severe injuries, and were located at vantage points, and timed so as to cause maximum casualties. A mapping of the bomb sites showed a premeditated targeting of temples, water tanks ( placed near busy corners for people to slake their thirst), sites of historical importance ( near Hawa Mahal, at Tripolia Gate outside the City Palace), and of police stations. Four of the explosions had occurred in the vicinity of police stations. The Maanak Chowk police thana, which was the DGP�s headquarters, had been ringed with two bombs on either side- one of them so close that impounded vehicles inside the police compound could be seen riddled with holes, glass littering the ground, a scooter kept there had been reduced to its frame. The delegation met the SP (Grameen) at the police headquarters. It was he who, along with the other police personnel, had displayed admirable courage in detecting and defusing a live bomb set to go off at 9.00 pm, thereby saving many lives. But he admitted that the attack was aimed at their heads. He worriedly noted that the blasts were a direct challenge to the police, and they were taking it up seriously. Despite their quick response in the aftermath of the blasts, the delegation felt that the chinks in the surveillance mechanism of the police administration that had allowed for such a major act of terrorism is a matter of deep concern.

The team also visited the house of Irma, a twelve year old child killed in the blast and shared in the sorrow of the father, a vegetable seller, whose other 14 year old daughter was lying injured in hospital.

At The

Hospital

The team then went to Sawai Mansingh hospital where the majority of injured people had been admitted. The sight of the wounded, some with pellets and nails still embedded in their body, some who had lost their limbs, some their eyesight, etc., due to the blasts, was pitiful. There were children who could not understand yet what had happened. Irma�s sister, Ilina, was wordlessly handing out the photo of her dead sister to anyone visiting her, she could not stop her tears. A nine year old child Rukshana had her whole cheek disfigured by a nail which had struck her just below the eyes. Her 12 year old brother Abdul Malik, was lying injured in the adjacent bed. The family of 40 year old Roop Chand, a rickshaw puller at Jori Bazaar, whose hand had been struck by pellets and rendered useless, wondered what he would do for a living and how they would survive. 25 year old Chotu Yadav also a rickshaw puller had lost the use of his leg. 17 year old Shahid whose job was to sell packets of candles at the Tripoli Bazaar, had lost one eye, and pellets were lodged all along his stomach, leading to unbearable agony.

The hospital doctors were taking good care of the patients. However, the monetary relief announced by the government had not reached them yet. The most unfortunate aspect was that a majority of the affected people were youngsters, from poor, working class households, with families dependent on their earnings. The blasts would have a long term impact on their livelihood.

With images of a number of different social organisations chipping in to help the patients, the team made its way out of the hospital. They were informed by the comrades that students from SFI, AISF had donated blood in a big way. Indeed, a large number of youngsters across communities had come forward to extend help, and had donated blood to all those affected. This spontaneous show of solidarity was a great cementing factor. The people of Jaipur had defeated the main aim of the terrorist- to incite communal violence and sow the seeds of sectarian discord.

Press

meet

Later, while addressing a press conference in Jaipur, the delegation condemned the ghastly act of violence in the strongest terms, and extended their condolence and support to the affected families. They congratulated the people of Jaipur who rose to the occasion and controlled the tense situation without allowing any communal tensions or clashes to occur. They pointed out that communalist forces who tried very much to utilise the situation as an opportunity to carry forward their propaganda had failed miserably.

They demanded an immediate stop to the blame game attitude of both central and state government. Instead, they suggested that the priority should be identification of the culprits as soon as possible through co-ordinated efforts, and stiff punishment under the existing laws which are quite effective for this purpose. The tendency to prejudge a certain community, and label them all as culprits was a dangerous trend which would compromise the path of justice, and breed further terrorism. The Rajasthan government should guard against any such motivated harassment, the leaders said.

The delegation suggested that not only should the government immediately distribute the compensation to the relatives of victims and to the injured, there should be a long term rehabilitation strategy for those whose means of livelihood had been compromised in the blast.

CPI(M) state secretary Vasudev, CPI(M) MLA Amraram and other state CPI(M), CPI leaders also attended the press conference.