TCN News
Zakia Jafri, a survivor of the Gulberg Society massacre and the widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, passed away in Ahmedabad on Saturday due to age-related complications. Her age was 86.
According to her son Tanveer, who resides in Surat, Zakia died at approximately 11.30 am while in Ahmedabad with her US-based daughter Nishrin. She will probably be buried next to her husband in Ahmedabad.
Human rights campaigner Teesta Setalvad wrote on X, “Zakia Appa, a compassionate leader of the human rights community, passed away just 30 minutes ago!”
Zakia Jafri, a 77-year-old widow, has been a relentless crusader for justice for over two decades. Her life was forever changed on February 28, 2002, when her husband, Ehsan Jafri, a former Congress MP, was brutally killed during the Gujarat riots. Despite repeated calls for help, the police failed to arrive, and Ehsan Jafri was burnt alive.
Ehsan Jafri was among the 68 killed inside the gated Gulberg Society in the Chamanpura area of Ahmedabad. In 2006, Zakia submitted a complaint stating that the police had not registered a complaint against top politicians in connection with the violence.
She alleged that the riots were orchestrated by the state’s top leaders, including then-Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Despite facing numerous obstacles and threats, Zakia Jafri persevered, determined to bring those responsible for her husband’s death to justice.
In 2007, the Supreme Court ordered the Gujarat government to reopen the case, and in 2011, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to probe the riots. However, the SIT’s report, which was submitted in 2012, gave a clean chit to Narendra Modi and other top leaders, sparking widespread outrage.
Later, Jafri filed a petition in the magistrate court, Gujarat high court, and Supreme Court challenging the special investigation team’s clean sheet that was granted to 63 individuals, including Modi. Her pleas were denied by all three courts.
“Are you going to make Narendra Modi PM again?” Zakia Jafri had questioned in a televised interview prior to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Throughout her struggle, Zakia Jafri faced immense personal and financial hardship. However, her determination to seek justice for her husband and the hundreds of others who lost their lives during the riots remained unwavering.
Till 2023, Zakia regularly visited the remains of her home in Gulberg Society on the anniversary of the massacre. Having fought a long-drawn legal battle against the Gujarat government since 2006, she had become the face of the fight for justice for the victims of the post-Godhra riots.
In 2013, Zakia Jafri received the “Stree Shakti Puraskar”, one of India’s highest civilian awards for women, in recognition of her bravery and tenacity. Her legacy as a champion of social justice and human rights will last for many decades, and her battle for justice continues to inspire countless others.