The Godhra carnage in 2002 and ensuing violence resulted in polarization of two communities in the state. But, this little town of Panchamahals is also witness to a historical rift — the first cracks that appeared between two fathers of nations — Mahatma Gandhi and Mohammed Ali Jinnah — both Gujaratis. This anecdote between these two stalwarts also finds mention in various record books.
The Gujarat Political Conference was being convened at Godhra in November 1917 and was one of the earlier gatherings presided over by Mahatma Gandhi. However, Gandhi's insistence that Jinnah should speak in Gujarati while addressing the people, upset the leader. Though "the Anglicised Jinnah stammered out a speech in Gujarati, the pressure that Gandhi applied in Godhra, would remain an unpleasant memory for Jinnah," noted Rajmohan Gandhi in his book, Gandhi: The Man, His People And The Empire.
However, the rift was never dissolved; it only widened.
Twenty-seven years after the Gujarat Political Conference, in 1944 when the 'two nation theory' was the only way out, Gandhi remembered the incident and said: “Jinnah has hated me since the day I asked him to give up English and speak in Gujarati.” The words were noted in Pro. Richard Bonney's book: Three Giants of South Asia: Gandhi, Ambedkar and Jinnah on Self-Determination.
Jinnah's dislike of Gandhi snow-balled three decades later into division of the nation; so was the train burning incident of Godhra in the beginning of a new century, that resulted in another big divide in the two communities.
Godhra was sensitive from the beginning of the century, reasoned social scientist Achyut Yagnik. "Godhra and Panchmahals always remain marginalized. Development never took place here properly. From the Maratha rule to free independence, the growth or modernisation of the district has been very tardy." Political science pundit, Sidharth N Bhatt also echoed Yagnik's words: "The main cause of Godhra's sensitive nature lies in regions economy."
"The riots is a not a 21st century phenomenon in Godhra. If we go through the annals of history we spot riots way back in the 19th century too," says associate professor of history, Arun Waghela at the School of Social Sciences, who is researching extensively on the Panchamahals. According to Waghela, riots happened in Godhra in the year 1854, 1912, 1828, 1948, 1969-70, 1980, 1992 and 2002.
