A different' fallout of Gujarat riots lands league in soup

KOZHIKODE: A group of 20  Gujarati Muslims, the victims of Naroda Patiya riots in Ahmedabad in 2002,  arrived here on Tuesday alleging that the Indian Union Muslim League had betrayed them by not giving them the  title deeds after constructing houses for them at Gaspur Pirana in Ahmedabad  in 2004.

“We are living a life that is worse than what we had 12 years ago. Please put an end to our sufferings. The land they offered us is a dumpyard,” they told reporters at the Calicut Press Club on Tuesday. They were brought here by some activist groups.

The group, representatives of the 40 families for whom the IUML constructed houses, said that the aim of their visit was to meet the leaders in person and present their grievances.

After the riot in 2002, they were staying in the Shah Alam refugee camp before the relief committee constructed houses for them. “Their colony is in the centre of Gaspur Pirana in Ahmedabad, where the city dumps its waste. Daily 3,200 metric tonnes of waste is dumped there. Many inmates died there due to pollution,” said Saheed Rumi, an activist who represented them.

The group says that though they pay the electricity bills, they have no documents on their houses with an area less than 200 sqft. Without documents, they are not able to entrust them with anybody for renovation.

However, IUML national treasurer P.K. Kunhalikutty dismissed their  claims and said that those who brought them here were the same people who had complained earlier that the IUML had not built the promised houses. “These are election tactics and the Muslim League knows who are playing the game,” Mr Kunhalikutty said.