A friend in Ahmedabad

This is so scary. I have a friend in Ahmedabad and just yesterday evening we were discussing our children's future careers and our respective weight losses. Our children have been class mates for years, we have shared countless meals, my kids love her 'raitas' and desserts. Yesterday, we also talked about how like real life is 'Jaane tu, ya jaane naa'...

When I saw the News at 8 45 PM, I started calling them, but as expected all lines were jammed, then finally I sent her an SMS. Around ten minutes ago she called to reassure us that they were all fine, but I realised how shaken they all were. She said, she stood in her balcony and told her daughter who had just come back from a coaching class, "All we can do is pray that this is the end of all the violence atleast for now!", and the moment the words were out they saw a huge ball of fire and heard the loud sound, of the Civil Hospital Blast. Her young daughter, looked like she had gone mad with fear and sudden panic... Soon afterwards her daughter's friend called to say, "How can they do this in the name of majhab?" And they realised what this means for Gujrat's fragile communal peace!

It makes me so sad to watch women on the TV crying in pain...will it be our city next? Should I drive the kids for their classes, or should we stay at home tomorrow? My stomach is tight with shock and horror, the visuals this time are terrifying. Slippers left beind by victims with blood and flies, broken glass and frightened onlookers, all in a daze. And then I see the BJP spokesperson (Rudy) asking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh if this is the celebration of their victory in the Trust Vote!! Have they no scruples? What we need are immediate relief measures and all the support, not politics. No, we do not need politics at such a time.