'I felt ashamed to call myself an Indian'

kolkata: “i felt ashamed to call myself an indian,� was his immediate reaction when asked about his experience of ahmedabad. veteran parliamentarian somnath chatterjee was angry, emotional, sad. above all, he was deeply ashamed. chatterjee was in the all-party delegation that has just just returned from the western city ravaged by mindless violence.“after visiting the place, it has become clear to me that from february 28, it was free for all in ahmedabad. the state government may not have participated in the carnage, but it has definitely connived,� chatterjee said. thousands are still languishing in relief camps opened by ngos. the parliamentary delegation was not taken to shah alam camp, which is housing 12,000 homeless people. “we were told that fire arms have been found in there and that it was not safe for us to go,� chatterjee said. there are 33,000 refugees in ahmedabad city alone. nobody knows how many are there in the rural areas. the body count is also beyond comprehension. dargahs have been razed to the ground using bulldozers. people are huddling in relief camps because they have no where to return. ngos conducting relief operations are going through the last few paces before supplies run dry. adding to the human tragedy is official apathy and stoicism. “despite a red alert by the union home ministry within six hours of the godhra incident, why could not the state government get ready to face the situation,� chatterjee demanded. the administration refused to speak to a group of mps on the incidents leading to former mp ehsan jafri’s killing. “we were told there was a commission of enquiry,� chatterjee said. those killed in the godhra rail attack are getting rs 2 lakh as compensation while the state government is giving rs 1 lakh to the ahmedabad riot victims. “we were told that the compensation for godhra victims was brought down to rs 1 lakh after kar sevaks condescended to receive that amount. the attitude is reprehensible,� chatterjee said. violence has abated in ahmedabad. but security has not returned. the residents are anxious about the coming few weeks that will have a series of festivals – shiv ratri, holi, muharram. there is also march 15. the scarred city is waiting with bated breath.