02/02/2025
Zakia and Ehsan - the brave don’t die
Zakia Jafri has passed away and joined her husband Ehsan Jafri in a home that they will not be driven away from. The pain of death and displacement will not occur again. And yet, what will forever define them in this world, is their bravery to defend their right to call India their home, be safe in it and stand by those who seek shelter with them.
I met Ehsan Jafri several times in marches for unity and meetings on communalism and how to counter it in the 80s and 90s. I last saw him at a symposium where I was singing and performing in a play on communalism with Nishant Natya Manch in the late 90s. He particularly liked one song I sang and I was honored when he put his hand on my head to say that it was a very powerful song. It was Brijmohan’s, Kisne chaha tha.
I was still a teenager and though politically aware, a bit tongue tied to talk to elders like him. But I remember how politely he would always respond to a hello and how actively he engaged in conversations with people and how well and passionately he spoke. I especially recall him talking about the constitutional provisions that ensure India’s survival as a diverse nation. I only learnt later that he was actually a lawyer too, besides being an elected member of the Indian Parliament and a peace activist.
I also learnt later, through his daughter, Nishrin, that in 1969, in another act of communal violence in Ahmedabad, their home had been burned down. Ehsan, Zakia and their kids were rendered homeless and were forced to find shelter in the Malek Shaban Stadium refugee camp. Later, despite many friends and family advising against it, Ehsan Jafri decided to build a home almost exactly where their burned down home used to be. Such was his faith and hope in an India for all irrespective of their religious background.
In this home, on February 28, 2002, he was hacked to death and then his body parts burned by a murderous mob of Hindutva terrorists who also targeted everyone who had taken refuge in the Jafri home. 69 people were killed.
Zakia was at home but along with a few others survived this ghastly attack. But survive is a strange word for it does not disclose anything else besides the fact that one did not die. The excruciating trauma of Zakia’s life cannot be expressed in words. But one could see it in her eyes. Sameer and I last met her about 15 years after the Gulbarg Society massacre. At this time, she had already been fighting for a substantial period to get justice for her husband and all those who were murdered with him. She fought the Modi regime and Hindutva politics through legal action despite the biggest odds. She fought every single day with bravery and dignity. But in her eyes was an emptiness and pain that even a child could see. Our daughter, who was about eight years old then, turned to me and said, “Mumma, may be Moana (my doll) can make Zakia nani happy. She looks so sad.” We had of course not told our eight-year old what horrors Zakia nani had gone through.
Who would ever want their children to know such things? And yet, there are so many children, much younger even than our daughter was then, who not only know about but have gone through the trauma of communal carnage.
Zakia and Ehsan Jafri dreamed of a world where no child or adult would ever face such a horrible reality. They rebuilt their home because they believed in such a world. Zakia bravely walked into the courts of India after her husband was killed and their home burned down again. Why? Because she believed in a better India where her name would not decide her fate. She mourned her loss and yet decided that she will not let it kill the faith she and her husband had in the Constitution and legacy of India. She fought not just a personal battle but a national one. She fought not just a legal case but a case for the values of secularism, co-existence, unity and peace.
I leave it to you to decide for yourself whether such an India is possible. For me, despite the pain I feel in remembering Zakia on her passing yesterday and the struggle she and her husband endured, I believe in a better India. We will continue to fight for it.
In fond remembrance of Zakia aunty and in hoping earnestly that the home of her and Ehsan uncle’s dream will be rebuilt so strong that no fire can ever burn it down. We recommit ourselves to fighting the fire of hate with the power of justice and love.
Yours,
Shirin for Peace Vigil
Peace Vigil works on peace education. Peace Needs All of Us!
