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Fernandes provides healing touch
to riot victims

The crowd was agitated at the reported move to withdraw the army from the violence-hit areas of the city, but when Fernandes began to speak they mellowed down.

He told them that the past couldn't give anything other than pain and for the future a process of reconciliation was a must.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had specifically told him to visit the relief camps and find a solution to the problems of the riot victims, Fernandes said.

He said the main purpose of his visit was to make an assessment before deciding on the withdrawal of the army and to set in motion the process of reconciliation between Hindus and Muslims.

Before coming to the camp, Fernandes met religious leaders, visited examination centres and some of the violence-hit areas.

Fernandes came to Sundramnagar in a surcharged atmosphere. People belonging to the minority community were carrying placards, which read: "Don't withdraw the army", "minorities need protection" and "Narendra Modi murdabad".

"We do not trust the police as it is partial. We are starving," some of them said.

They said that the police was restricting their movements and not allowing them to go out of the area.

"I have seen your anger, but I assure you no decision on withdrawal of army would be arrived at without taking into consideration your feelings on the issue," Fernandes said.

"The need of the hour was confidence building," he said.

"You want the army to stay here. But can the army, which only knows the language of bullets, as it was trained that way, set in motion the process of reconciliation? It is the people who have to do this. Therefore, I request both the sides to talk to each and resolve their differences themselves. Even if army stays here for one year, would it help remove tension? No," Fernandes said.

"I suggest on April 21 the community leaders join in our talks of reconciliation. You have to forget the past, if we want your future to be reassuring," he said.

PTI

The Sabarmati in Flames: Complete Coverage

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