This Diwali, the residents of Guwahati has vowed not to burst crackers and instead light a candle in the memory of those who were killed during a series of bomb blasts eight years back on October 30, 2008.
A series of bomb blasts rocked Assam killing around 90 with as many as 8 blasts in Guwahati alone which saw more than 80 victims falling to the violence.
“This year Diwali coincides with the ‘black day’ when we lost many of our known faces. So, we have decided not to burst crackers this year and instead would light a candle in respect of those innocent souls,” said Dilip, a vendor in Ganeshguri area, who was a witness to the horrified incident in 2008.
Senior advocate Bijon Mahajon also appealed to the residents to stay away from bursting crackers. “This Diwali should be bereft of crackers and lightened with earthen lamps. This should be to show respect to the departed souls and seeking recovery for those who are yet to recover from the trauma till date, mentally as well as physically. It is also seeking blessing from the almighty so that such terrorist acts do not reoccur in future,” he said.
Mahajon further expressed his concern that the perpetrators are still at large. “Though everybody knows who the perpetrators were, unfortunately they have not been punished by the Indian Criminal Justice Delivery System,” he added.
Forum for Terrorists Victim Family, Assam (FTVFA) – an organization floated by family members of all the victims of terrorists’ attacks in Assam, has urged the people to stand united against terrorism.
“We have been appealing to the people to be united and remove such evils from society. Let’s pray for the souls and so that we don’t lose any souls in terror acts,” said Indranil Kalita of FTVFA.
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