'Faces of Gujarat riots' to campaign against communalism

Dubbed "faces of Gujarat riots", Qutubuddin Ansari and Ashok Mochi have entered India's collective consciousness through their photos. One was the face of raw communal frenzy and the other of helplessness, begging for mercy.

The pictures of a frightened Ansari begging for mercy from his attackers with tears rolling down his eyes and Mochi, celebrating with an iron rod in his hand with leaping blaze in the background, have became emblematic of the Gujarat communal violence in 2002.

Twelve years on, Mochi, former Bajrang Dal activist, and Ansari will share the dais across West Bengal, campaigning against communal violence.

Janwadi Vichar Andolan, Bharat (JAVAB), a civil rights organisation is bringing them together, where they will address people against communalism in several places in West Bengal, including Jadavpur in the state capital and Raiganj city in North Dinjapur district.

"They are faces of riots and who will tell about the consequences of communal violence better than them? Unfortunately in Bengal, efforts are being made to communally polarise the state in the wake of the election," Sayeeda Tanveer Nasrin of JAVAB told IANS.

"We hope to make people realise how big a threat communalism is, by bringing them together," she added. The duo will be travelling together from Gujarat, and will hold a meeting at Jadavpur April 20, and will later address people in Durgapur city in Burdwan district and later in Raiganj.

They participated in a seminar 'A decade of genocide' in Kerala's Kannur district last month.
 

(Picture via Twitter)