| Font Size - |
Religious differences receded to the backburner in the walled city area of Ahmedabad on Monday, where local shop owners kept their shutters down to support the statewide bandh in protest against the Sant Asaram Bapu Ashram.
Life came to a standstill in Jamalpur, Gandhi Road, Ratan Pol, Manek Chowk, Kalupur, Khadia, Panch Kuva and Dariapur in the area. The response was, however, mixed in the more "developed" parts of the city like Satellite, Ashram Road and Maninagar.
Yusuf Shaikh from Jamalpur, who deals in air-conditioners, said he had not seen such a groundswell of support for a non-community cause in the area before. "This is unprecedented. Generally, people in the walled city remain untouched by the problems in the new western Ahmedabad. But this time, they voluntarily closed their shops in support of the families (who lost their children) residing in Nirnaynagar," he said.
Shaikh further said: "A child has no religion or caste. People have observed the bandh to send a clear message that anybody involved in it will have to face the collective wrath of the people irrespective of their area and religion."
Many incidents of stone pelting and burning of effigies of Asaram Bapu were reported from areas like Shahpur, Bapunagar and Gomtipur. Gomtipur, a Muslim-dominated area, wore a deserted look, while in Bapunagar, a mob ransacked an extension centre of the Asaram Ashram at Hardas Nagar and burnt the stationery kept there.
No lesson has been taken from the slavery of more than one thousand year by the people of this country because they are still guided and propelled by animal instincts.
death of Gurukul student was painful but such a reaction by family and public was even astonishing and disheartening. there seems to be no respect
It is really sad with what happened with two kids. But atleast this episode has exposed Asaram. I anticipate a huge drop in the number of followers he has. I hope that the people who used to follow him assuming him to be a nice person learns a lesson here and stops following him anymore.
Asaram Bapu and other such like him are simply thugs masquerading in priests clothes. They exploit the religious sentiment of ordinary people and amass crores of rupees - this gives them both political and economic power. I predict that nothing will come of this inquiry - it will be hushed up by the politicians who are paid goons of this "bapu". I hope the people see him for what he is - a land grabber and a goonda.
Samir,Please don't jump into conclusion by looking the things in the gross level. Asharam is helping millions of people with his teachings and social service. Do you think all the people are idiots who follow him.It seems you are exploiting the situation. It is also unfortunate in the country like india ,media and people don't respond the same way to terrorists. Afjal guru ,who attacked on parilament is still sitting in the jail.Why don't you respond to those incidents
If the massive protest was against hindu ashram for the death by drowning of 2 children in a water body near the hindu ashram, and if there is nobody to protest the ghastly and murderous terrorist attack on the army killing 30 army men in Kashmir, then only God can save this country and India should be labelled most backward banana republic in the world, worse than any african nation or remote island.It is a shame that the media and the intellectuals have lost their voice and their sanity as well.
if one were to read this article, one would not know why they were protesting, provide some background on what the story is. learn from the bbc.
Good
| Most Read Articles |
 |