Ashok Mochi, Gujarat Riots Posterboy, Advocates for Dalit Rights

(Photo: The Quint)

For Ahmedabad’s Ashok Parmar aka Ashok Mochi, who became the face of cruelty, a picture meant a new life.

Even before humans mastered the art of clicking selfies with facial expressions that appear unreal, Parmar wrongly pouted for a photograph during 2002 Gujarat riots and became the poster boy of Hindus attacking Muslims.

In the infamous photograph, he was seen wearing a saffron head band and holding an iron rod in hand with an aggressive expression on his face.

Parmar now wants people to know his ‘real’ side and has become part of Gujarat’s ongoing Dalit agitation. He believes the coming together of Dalits and Muslims is the most critical aspect of this movement.

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Video Editor: Sandeep Suman