Civil Society groups are alarmed at the appearance of a sinister deep vermilion cross, an ‘X’ shaped mark that has been spotted in different spots all over Ahmedabad. The mark was spotted on doors of flats/apartments in Aman colony (corner flats), Tagore flats, Al Aman flats and the Faize e Mohammadi society, all located in Ahmedabad. Marks were also spotted in Paldi area.
It begs the question that when all else is not working, are the extreme right wing majority and their allied communal forces determined to polarise the Gujarati electorate? Now, former DGP Gujarat, RB Shreekumar and journalist and social activist Teesta Setalvad have filed a complaint with the central and state election commissions urging them to take cognizance of and investigate the matter thoroughly.
In an email to the Central and State Election Commissions, the activists say, “As citizens we are extremely perturbed by the ominous and sinister looking VERMILION CROSS MARKINGS that have come up in many parts of Ahmedabad. It is telling that these markings have come up exclusively and only on Muslim societies that is where the Muslim minority is in residence. This is ominous as this suggests that for some reason or another these are being marked. This has caused great fear and insecurity in the minds of the minority community”.
The activists fear the marking makes it easy to identify Muslim homes in different neighbourhoods and in turn makes it easy to target Muslim residents. They also draw attention to the upcoming elections in Gujarat in their email complaint saying, “Sirs, sections 123A and 123B of the Representation of People’s Act specifically state that religion and religious symbols should not be used and mis used in the electoral arena during elections. Since now the Election Code is in operation we urge that the ECI takes immediate steps.”