When Dravid and Sehwag open for riot-hit children

Elsewhere in the state, there was the familiar tension over the latest episode of a long-running political battle. But, for a brief period, ...

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Elsewhere in the state, there was the familiar tension over the latest episode of a long-running political battle. But, for a brief period, a five-star hotel in downtown Ahmedabad provided the perfect Children’s Day treat: six boys and girls affected by the riots got a chance to meet six Indian cricketers.

The players — Javagal Srinath, Mohammed Kaif, Rahul Dravid, Sanjay Bangar, Virender Sehwag and V V S Laxman — were accompanied by commentators Arun Lal, Ian Bishop and Danny Morrison.

The occasion was the launch of VR1 (We Are One) a campaign to promote communal harmony, by the Society for the Promotion of Rational Thinking (SPRAT), a voluntary organisation whose governing body includes Y K Alagh, Harsh Mander and Arif Mohammed Khan.

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Faces beaming, eyes shining, they got up close and personal with their heroes, overcoming initial shyness to ask for photographs and autographs. And the good vibrations seemed to be mutual.

Dravid, a clear favourite with the children, said: ‘‘It’s our privilege to meet children and launch this campaign of communal harmony. We must make our children happy and I appreciate the efforts of the organisers of this campaign.’’

Latest sensation Sehwag spent a long time shaking hands with the children, asking them their names and signing autographs. ‘‘It feels good to be part of this campaign’’, he said.

‘‘The tragedy of the riots was great’’, said Srinath. ‘‘Everybody needs to do whatever they can to promote communal harmony and peace in the country.’’

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If the stars were happy, the children were star-struck. Zafarkhan Afrozekhan (9) spent the first few minutes just staring at the cricketers. ‘‘We try to imitate the players when we play cricket in our mohalla. Today, they spoke to me, asked me my name and asked me what I wanted to be. I told Rahul Dravid that I want to be a cricketer,’’ Zafarkhan said.

His family, staying in the Gomtipur area, was forced to shift to a relief camp for five months after their house was burnt down.

‘‘I never thought that I would meet Dravid, Sehwag and Srinath,’’ said eight-year-old Aviraj Dua. Aviraj’s father Indraraj was shot dead during the riots on March 1 near the family’s house at Bhidbhanjan Hanuman temple at Bapunagar.

‘‘SPRAT will now take care of the education of these children,’’ said Abid Shaikh, a neighbour who gave shelter to the Dua family during the riots.

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Those days seemed a long time ago for Aviraj’s sister Shivani (6), who spent her time pointing at the cricketers and identifying them. ‘‘I’m happy to see them from so close. I had earlier seen them only on TV,’’ she said, tightly clutching the autograph book with the signatures of all players.

Atif Mohammed and Younus Sheikh, both of whom stay in the Nutan Mills area of Saraspur, were initially scared by all the attention. But soon they too started shaking hands and taking autographs. ‘‘I will keep these with me all my life,’’ a beaming Atif said.

‘‘This is an attempt to promote communal harmony in whatever way we can. As soon as we approached Indian Players’ Association secretary Arun Lal, he and the players readily agreed to help launch the campaign in Gujarat,’’ said a SPRAT office-bearer.

New Zealander Morrison also appreciated what the children had been through. ‘‘You people have passed through extremely difficult times in the past months’’, he said, adding that he was ‘‘shaken’’ by TV coverage of the riots because he has good memories of when he was last here.

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This time, he’ll take back a few more happy thoughts.