A committee of international human rights activists on Thursday said the Muslim community in Gujarat was living under "increased fear" and have "lost all hopes of justice" after the "renewed strength" of the BJP following its victory in assembly
elections in the state.
"The election results reaffirm the impunity of those who unleashed and enacted the violence, and their renewed strength has increased fear among the Muslim community," a women committee comprising human rights activists and social workers from US, UK, France, Germany, Sri Lanka which toured violence-affected areas of Gujarat after the poll outcome, said in a report released in New Delhi.
Under the banner 'International Initiative for Justice in Gujarat', it said the post-election scenario, where the BJP won in all areas where violence was most widespread, the "minorities feel that for them, all democratic options for justice have been closed off".
"On the one hand at the pre-election campaign as well as post election victory, slogans not only explicitly admit involvement in the violence but also holds the threat of its continuation" it said.
Sunila Abeysekara, director of 'Inform' a human rights organisation in Sri Lanka, heading the panel said they visited Godhra, Ahmedabad, Baroda and Panchmahals District and spoke to various affected people, NGOs, lawyers and held confidential meetings with the members of minority community between December 13 and 17th.