NEW DLEHI – ANHAD (Act Now for Harmony and Democracy) has released a special book in an online event to mark 20 years of the horrific Gujarat pogrom that killed more than 2000 Muslims in the state in 2002.

The book serves as a reminder that it had been a long and orchestrated campaign and organisation of hate crimes against Muslims in the state, which made this pogrom possible on the watch of Narendra Modi, the then chief minister. “That hate has now gripped the entire country. We need to stop it before it is too late,” said a statement issued by ANHAD on the occasion of the book release on February 28.

The book features special essays by Father Cedric Prakash, Harsh Mander, Syeda Hameed, Shabnam Hashmi and Prof Apoorvanand. It also chronicles a list of hate speeches and hate crimes in the run up to the 2002 pogrom. The compilation of hate speeches and hate crimes against the religious minorities has been done by Leena Dabiru and Tarun Sagar.

The book is available online and can be accessed here: https://rb.gy/p5f9q8

ANHAD is an Indian socio-cultural organisation established in March 2003, as a response to the 2002 Gujarat riots. Social activist Shabnam Hashmi, sister of the slain activist Safdar Hashmi and founder of SAHMAT, Marxian historian Prof. K N Panikkar and social activist Harsh Mander are the founding members of ANHAD.