'Face' of Gujarat riots to attend 'black day' anniversary

Qutubuddin Ansari, the 'face' of the 2002 Gujarat riots, will attend a function in Mumbai to mark as a 'black day' the 10th anniversary of the riots on February 28.

Qutubuddin Ansari, the 'face' of the 2002 Gujarat riots, will attend a function in Mumbai to mark as a 'black day' the 10th anniversary of the riots on February 28.

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"Ansari will request people to wear black badges, scarves or bands – to mark the black day," Abraham Mathai, president of Harmony Foundation, which has organised the event, said.

Teary-eyed photos of Ansari, a tailor, begging with folded hands for mercy from the violent mob had made him the 'face' of the Gujarat riots.

Soon after the riots, Ansari had moved to Kolkata but returned to Gujarat two years ago, Mathai, former vice-chairman of Maharashtra Minorities Commission said.

Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, Tushar Gandhi, Sanjiv Bhatt will also be present.