Ehsan Jafri
Encyclopedia
Ehsan Jafri was an ex-Parliamentarian who was burnt to death in 2002 in his own home by a group of unknown rioters during the Gujarat riots of 2002. He had been a noted trade unionist, and was one of the top party officials of the Congress party in Gujarat. His name is also written Ahsan Jafri.
The death of such a prominent ex-parliamentarian by rioters, and the inability of the government apparatus to come to his aid despite repeated desperate phone calls from top Congress officials over a period of five hours, has been pointed to by many as evidence of the
state government's involvement in the riots.
Further, the complete lack of progress in the case - most of the cases have been closed without arrest by 2007, has also been seen as evidence of the state government complicity.
In 2007, The Truth: Gujarat 2002 – Tehelka report, and a Tehelka sting operation
showed spycam film footage on Aaj Tak
of members of the Hindu rightist organizations RSS
and VHP detailing the murder of Jafri. The report elicited no response from the Gujarat police, and four months later, the Supreme court appointed a high level investigative team, including the ex-chief of the Central Bureau of Investigation
to investigate eleven major unresolved cases arising from the riots, including this murder.
, present day Madhya Pradesh
in 1929. His father, Dr. Allahbaksh Jafri. In 1935, Ehsan moved to
Ahmedabad, studying at the R.C. High School.
Subsequently, he was elected General Secretary of the Progressive Editor's Union. Around this time, he also completed his Law degree and started practising as an attorney in Ahmedabad.
During the communal riots of 1969, Jafri's house was burnt down, and he had to move to the relief camp..
In the 1960s, he had joined the Congress Party of Indira Gandhi
, and was heading the city unit by 1972. In 1977, after the emergency when the party was routed in most Indian states, Ehsan managed to win the Ahmedabad seat and became a parliamentarian in the 6th Lok Sabha
. Thereafter, he remained active in the party and held several key organizational posts in the Congress Party Administration in Gujarat.
, riots broke out in Gujarat, following a group of Muslims had been blamed.
By early morning, a large Hindu mob gathered at the Gulbarg Society in the Chamanpura suburb of Ahmedabad. This was an almost entirely Muslim housing society where the septuagenarian Ehsan Jafri lived. According to First Information Report
of the incident filed by police inspector K.G. Erda, the mob started attacking Muslim owned establishments in the morning and were dispersed by the police. However, they reassembled around 1
PM armed with swords, sticks, pipe and kerosene.
The report by the Human Rights Watch
affirms that a mob of thousands,
dressed in
saffron scarves and khaki shorts - the uniform of the RSS
- and armed with swords,
had blown up gas cylinders to blast through walls in the Gulbarga society.
The report also mentions that the rioters were guided by voter lists and
computer printouts with the addresses of Muslim-owned properties, information
obtained from the local municipal
administration. This claim was repeated by at least five Muslim witnesses presented before the Nanavati Commission
.
Chamanpura is in central Ahmedabad and barely a kilometer from the police
station, and less than 2 km from the Police Commissioner's office.
Around 10:30 in the morning, the Ahmedabad Commissioner of Police, P.C. Pandey, personally visited Jafri and apparently assured him that police reinforcement would be coming. In the next five hours, Jafri and top Congress officials of the state repeatedly kept calling the police and other government officials requesting safe transport for the residents, but no help arrived. The FIR by Erda further stated that the police station had 130 policemen on duty that day, and were well armed with teargas shells. However, no one was deployed to disburse the crowd, despite Ehsan Jafri and top Congress politicians repeatedly contacting the Director General of Police, Police Commissioner, the Mayor, Leader of Opposition in the State parliament, and other top government officials.
.
Ahsan Jafri had a lifelong interest in literature. While at school, he had brought out an Urdu magazine. He kept writing even during his years of Labour union struggle. In 1996, he published his volume of poetry titled Qandeel ("Lantern") in Urdu.
The death of such a prominent ex-parliamentarian by rioters, and the inability of the government apparatus to come to his aid despite repeated desperate phone calls from top Congress officials over a period of five hours, has been pointed to by many as evidence of the
state government's involvement in the riots.
Further, the complete lack of progress in the case - most of the cases have been closed without arrest by 2007, has also been seen as evidence of the state government complicity.
In 2007, The Truth: Gujarat 2002 – Tehelka report, and a Tehelka sting operation
Sting operation
In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person committing a crime. A typical sting will have a law-enforcement officer or cooperative member of the public play a role as criminal partner or potential victim and go along with a suspect's actions to gather...
showed spycam film footage on Aaj Tak
Aaj Tak
Aaj Tak is a 24-hour Hindi news television channel owned by TV Today Network Ltd. Aaj Tak loosely translates as "Till Today" or "Up to the Minute". Watched by some 45 million viewers in India’s cable and satellite universe, Aaj Tak is one of India’s largest privately owned news channels...
of members of the Hindu rightist organizations RSS
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or National Patriotic Organization), also known the Sangh, is a right-wing Hindu nationalist, paramilitary, volunteer, and allegedly militant organization for Hindu males in India...
and VHP detailing the murder of Jafri. The report elicited no response from the Gujarat police, and four months later, the Supreme court appointed a high level investigative team, including the ex-chief of the Central Bureau of Investigation
Central Bureau of Investigation
The Central Bureau of Investigation is a government agency of India that serves as a criminal investigation body, national security agency and intelligence agency. It was established on 1 April 1963 and evolved from the Special Police Establishment founded in 1941...
to investigate eleven major unresolved cases arising from the riots, including this murder.
Life
Ehsan Jafri was born in BurhanpurBurhanpur
Burhanpur is an important city in Madhya Pradesh state, India. It is the administrative seat of Burhanpur District. It is situated on the north bank of the Tapti River, southwest of Bhopal and northeast of Mumbai...
, present day Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
in 1929. His father, Dr. Allahbaksh Jafri. In 1935, Ehsan moved to
Ahmedabad, studying at the R.C. High School.
Subsequently, he was elected General Secretary of the Progressive Editor's Union. Around this time, he also completed his Law degree and started practising as an attorney in Ahmedabad.
During the communal riots of 1969, Jafri's house was burnt down, and he had to move to the relief camp..
In the 1960s, he had joined the Congress Party of Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
, and was heading the city unit by 1972. In 1977, after the emergency when the party was routed in most Indian states, Ehsan managed to win the Ahmedabad seat and became a parliamentarian in the 6th Lok Sabha
6th Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha is the lower house in the Parliament of India. The 6th Lok Sabha, which ran from 23 March 1977 - 22 August 1979 was elected in February and March 1977.-Important members:* Speaker:...
. Thereafter, he remained active in the party and held several key organizational posts in the Congress Party Administration in Gujarat.
Death
On February 28, 2002, after the Godhra train burningGodhra Train Burning
The Godhra train burning was an incident in which a sleeper coach on a passenger train was set on fire in 2002 by Muslims in Godhra, Gujarat, India in a conspiracy...
, riots broke out in Gujarat, following a group of Muslims had been blamed.
By early morning, a large Hindu mob gathered at the Gulbarg Society in the Chamanpura suburb of Ahmedabad. This was an almost entirely Muslim housing society where the septuagenarian Ehsan Jafri lived. According to First Information Report
First Information Report
A First Information Report or FIR is a written document prepared by the police in India, Pakistan and Japan when they receive information about the commission of a cognizable offence. It is a report of information that reaches the police first in point of time and that is why it is called the First...
of the incident filed by police inspector K.G. Erda, the mob started attacking Muslim owned establishments in the morning and were dispersed by the police. However, they reassembled around 1
PM armed with swords, sticks, pipe and kerosene.
The report by the Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
affirms that a mob of thousands,
dressed in
saffron scarves and khaki shorts - the uniform of the RSS
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or National Patriotic Organization), also known the Sangh, is a right-wing Hindu nationalist, paramilitary, volunteer, and allegedly militant organization for Hindu males in India...
- and armed with swords,
had blown up gas cylinders to blast through walls in the Gulbarga society.
The report also mentions that the rioters were guided by voter lists and
computer printouts with the addresses of Muslim-owned properties, information
obtained from the local municipal
administration. This claim was repeated by at least five Muslim witnesses presented before the Nanavati Commission
Nanavati commission
The Justice G.T. Nanavati commission was established by the Indian Government in 2000 to investigate the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots.-Creation:The commission was appointed by the National Democratic Alliance government on 8 May 2000 to look into certain matters emanating from the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots....
.
Chamanpura is in central Ahmedabad and barely a kilometer from the police
station, and less than 2 km from the Police Commissioner's office.
Around 10:30 in the morning, the Ahmedabad Commissioner of Police, P.C. Pandey, personally visited Jafri and apparently assured him that police reinforcement would be coming. In the next five hours, Jafri and top Congress officials of the state repeatedly kept calling the police and other government officials requesting safe transport for the residents, but no help arrived. The FIR by Erda further stated that the police station had 130 policemen on duty that day, and were well armed with teargas shells. However, no one was deployed to disburse the crowd, despite Ehsan Jafri and top Congress politicians repeatedly contacting the Director General of Police, Police Commissioner, the Mayor, Leader of Opposition in the State parliament, and other top government officials.
Personal life
Jafri's wife, Zakia Jafri, survived the carnage. His daughter, Nishrin Hussain, lives in DelawareDelaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
.
Ahsan Jafri had a lifelong interest in literature. While at school, he had brought out an Urdu magazine. He kept writing even during his years of Labour union struggle. In 1996, he published his volume of poetry titled Qandeel ("Lantern") in Urdu.
External links
- The Gulbarg Society massacre: What happened at NDTVNDTVNDTV is an Indian commercial broadcasting television network founded in 1988. It was founded by Prannoy Roy, an eminent journalist and current chairman and director of NDTV Group. NDTV currently has more than 1,000 employees producing news from over twenty locations in India...