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The subject is actual causes of the fire and the conclusiveness of theories. [[User:Mrt3366|<font face="Comic Sans MS" color="brown">Mr</font><font face="verdana" color="red">&nbsp;T</font>]][[User talk:Mrt3366|<font size="1"><sup>(Talk?)</sup></font>]] <span class="plainlinks">[{{fullurl:User_talk:Mrt3366|action=edit&section=new&preload=User_talk:Mrt3366/new_section}} <font color="green"><sup>(New thread?)</sup></font>]</span> 09:12, 20 June 2013 (UTC)
The subject is actual causes of the fire and the conclusiveness of theories. [[User:Mrt3366|<font face="Comic Sans MS" color="brown">Mr</font><font face="verdana" color="red">&nbsp;T</font>]][[User talk:Mrt3366|<font size="1"><sup>(Talk?)</sup></font>]] <span class="plainlinks">[{{fullurl:User_talk:Mrt3366|action=edit&section=new&preload=User_talk:Mrt3366/new_section}} <font color="green"><sup>(New thread?)</sup></font>]</span> 09:12, 20 June 2013 (UTC)
[[User:Dlv999|Dlv999]] ''As Wikipedia editors I don't think it is within our remit to second guess what evidence high quality sources should or should not be considering'' : We just cannot use everything that is published, when these sources use illegal report I would not consider them high quality. I am not saying what the source should consider, it is upto the author of that source but when they use wrong reports they become wrong sources.''Sure and the RS acknowledge that it was ruled illegal and still find that it is relevant as a piece of evidence in the discussion'' Like I said again and again we have mentioned about those reports in the article (This might be the third time I am telling this, please check the article).''I think your approach to source analysis is backwards: you are assessing the reliability of the source based on how it conforms with your own personal understanding of the topic and issues surrounding it'' I am sure every editor needs to have some understanding about the subject he/she is editing, let us not question each other's personal beliefs here. Comment on the content if you want. Lastly I understand that you think that ''Banerjee commission report'', it is very much included in the article. -[[User:Ratnakar.kulkarni|sarvajna]] ([[User talk:Ratnakar.kulkarni|talk]]) 09:53, 20 June 2013 (UTC)
=== Sources ===
=== Sources ===
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Revision as of 09:53, 20 June 2013

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Name of the article

The following discussion is an archived discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review. No further edits should be made to this section.

The result of the move request was: No consensus. Valid concerns that the proposed name is sensationalist and WP:NPOV. Nathan Johnson (talk) 12:12, 3 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]



Godhra train burningGodhra train massacre
or,
Godhra train burningGodhra train violence [Proposed by Mr. T @ 08:44, 26 May 2013 (UTC) ][reply]
– Common usage and other reasons stated below. Note: The renaming discussion has already started before this procedural formalities took place. Hence including the move template in the same discussion. §§Dharmadhyaksha§§ {T/C} 07:58, 24 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Should the name of the article be, Godhra train burning or Godhra train Massacre. The whole conspiracy by the Islamist Mob has been proven in the court. I think we should move this.--sarvajna (talk) 20:25, 19 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Rationale

I think any other suitable name would be more accurate than this "train burning". Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 08:41, 26 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

  • Strongly disagree. It was still a burning. WP is not a tabloid, it does not need sensationalist headlines. Plus, there was an official government inquiry which, even though probably overruled by other judicial authorities, declared the whole thing to be an accident. The article mentions this, but still the overall tone of the article says that the burning was due to arson by radical Islamist mobs. The current title is in my opinion NPOV, and should remain so. Aurorion (talk) 06:22, 21 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
A comparison using Google searches: "godhra train burning": 530,000 hits; "godhra train massacre": 57,700 hits; "godhra train carnage": 299,000 hits. The web overwhelmingly favor "godhra train burning".
Google Trends shows that "Godhra Train Burning" has always been a more popular search phrase than the other two. Academic sources on Google Scholar and JSTOR also heavily favor the current title "Godhra train burning". All these show that "Godhra train burning" is the WP:COMMONNAME and hence should be retained.
However, Google book searches throw a different trend (the only exception): 492 results for "godhra train burning", only 89 results for "godhra train massacre", and 1010 results for "godhra train carnage". But in recent times (2010 and after) "Godhra train burning" is much more common here too: 120 results, against just 1 for "Godhra train carnage". So it looks like "Godhra train carnage" may have been a common name in books earlier, but now is outdated and "Godhra train burning" is much more favored now. Aurorion (talk) 04:57, 24 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Things that have been overruled by judicial authority has no value, look at the naming of other articles, Gulberg Society Massacre, Naroda Patiya Massacre. -sarvajna (talk) 07:23, 21 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Although usage of different terms in the media to refer to this massacre of Hindu pilgrims matters not a damn after it was established in a court of law that it was a communal mob that was responsible for the carnage, I have provided multiple sources (I doubt majority of Indian sources fall into this category) to prove that even the so-called words like "massacre", or "killings", or "carnage" are not even the least bit uncommon when referring to this dreadful incident. I think any other name would be more accurate than this "train burning".
The name used for referring to the 2002 riot does allude to violence as in 2002 Gujarat violence. There is no ambiguity that violence was the main highlight of that incident. Wikipedia doesn't refer to the incident in Gulberg as "2002 Gulberg house burning" or "2002 Gulberg destruction of property" even though houses were burnt; properties were destroyed, it refers to it as "Gulbarg Society massacre", hence it's only fair that we refer to this incident (the Godhra train carnage) as ″Godhra train violence″ not ″Godhra train burning″. Besides, it was a Massacre, Murder, Killing inside a train, not merely incineration of a train compartment. Violence is the main identifier of this incident also. To say it was Godhra Train Burning is very misleading and deceptive. Per WP:COMMONNAME "Ambiguous or inaccurate names for the article subject, as determined in reliable sources, are often avoided even though they may be more frequently used by reliable sources."
(my emphasis)
  • BBC : Godhra train massacre
  • Asianews: Godhra train massacre
  • DAWN: Godhra Train carnage
  • Zee news: Godhra train carnage
  • The Hindu Godhra Train carnage
  • Business-standard: Godhra train carnage
  • Oneindia news: Godhra train carnage
  • Rediff: Godhra Train carnage
  • Times of India : Godhra Train carnage
  • DNAINDIA: Godhra Train carnage
  • Hindu business line : Godhra Train carnage
  • Indiatvnews: Godhra Train carnage
  • deccan herald : Godhra train carnage
  • Dailypioneer: Godhra train carnage / Godhra train inferno
  • Indianexpress: Godhra train carnage
  • India Today: Godhra train carnage
  • I hope it makes it clear that the act of referring to it as "Train Burning" is a mockery of the real deadliness of this violent incident. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 08:15, 22 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    Post script
    Google Book hits:
  • "godhra train burning": 492,
  • "godhra train massacre": 89
  • "godhra train carnage": 1010.
  • Clarification: I would just like to add, prior to the conviction of Muslim conspirators and criminals, this incident was referred to as train Burning. That's why there may be some outdated or partisan sources which still refer to it as train burning but it has been proved that it was a conspiracy to massacre Hindus by Muslims and multiple people were given death penalties for it.

    Google Hits for Godhra Train Carnage: 205,000.Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 08:01, 24 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    User:Syed Wamiq Ahmed Hashmi wrote, "Muslims would like to refer to it as an ‘accident’ or a ‘tragedy’, whereas Hindus would like to call it a ‘massacre’ or a ‘holocaust’. Why not keep the third neutral alternative ‘burning’?" - seems very close to a negotiation in the market. The "votes" should be counted on there own merits basing on policy. I would have thought that the current title was honestly indefensible but some portions of wiki-community always manage to startle me. The arbitrary "votes" in this type of discussions are what render the whole process of building consensus properly dysfunctional. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 07:30, 30 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    I know you don't live in India, and that you may not be cognizant of all the info. But I am happy to see you at least acknowledge that it was a carnage. You ought to know that it was provably a conspiracy by some people to massacre and target Hindu Pilgrims that day. It has been proven in court. There are scores of reliable sources that have reported it, people have been given even death penalties for it. In light of all these do you really believe that to call it "train" burning would be objectively accurate and neutral? Yes, "massacre" may not sound like the right word, it is possible. But that's why we are here. You may propose another alternative to the current title and then the closing admin will hopefully choose the name which has the best argument behind it. But you can't possibly support the current name, or do you? Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 06:52, 26 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    The article you quoted says that at that time it was suggested (past tense). Even I concede at one point it was suggested that it was an accident but new developments show that it was not an accident, it was a case of arson to murder Hindu Pilgrims, did you not read anything I wrote above? How can you deny that "train Burning" is deceptive when referring to this incident of mass-murder? WOW! Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 08:23, 26 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    MrT, you seem to have read that article backwards. Darkness Shines (talk) 08:49, 26 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    Wow what an apt rebuttal, it's hard to claim that I didn't expect something like this from you. You sometimes are exceptionally neutral, so neutral that others think you ought to be banned (no kidding!) and sometimes you seem so far from being neutral that it's hard to assume that you're the same person. I am not making any sense to you maybe, but your attempts puzzle me. They really do. I thought of you as a reasonable person, what happened to that person? Chicanery after chicanery, what is this?
    Do you really doubt that it was a mass-murder? Do you really doubt that it was far more than just "train burning" after everything has been proven in court and the verdict is out? Is this a joke? 58 helpless Hindu pilgrims, including women and children, were locked up and burned to death and we call it "train burning", we don't even have the decency to refer to it as "train violence"? Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 09:00, 26 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    Please keep comments in a chronological order, it is why we have indents. My response was entirely apt as it is entirely correct, you have that article ass backwards. Darkness Shines (talk) 09:05, 26 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    Mr. T, please avoid getting too worked up over Wikipedia discussions. Please see WP:Article titles. Wikipedia does not necessarily use the subject's "official" name as an article title; it prefers to use the name that is most frequently used to refer to the subject in English-language reliable sources. "Godhra train violence" does not seem to be a frequently used name for this incident - if you disagree, please provide sufficient justification. As I mentioned in my comment above, I believe "Godhra train burning" is the most commonly used name. Perhaps there can be a case made for "Godhra train carnage", but definitely not "Godhra train massacre" as in the RM proposal or "Godhra train violence" as you suggest. Please assume that other editors' comments are made in good faith, avoid getting emotional over issues that you may passionately identify with. Aurorion (talk) 09:47, 26 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    Please keep comments in an order, when you reply to me you're expected to comment below my proposal/comment/remarks, not Aurorion's comment (which has been separated by an asterisk '*'). Aurorion, please avoid guessing, focus on the content, not the editor. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 10:41, 26 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    • Comment: Google Scholar results favor "Godhra train burning": 58 results against 6 results for "Godhra train massacre" and 21 results for "Godhra train carnage".
    So, the general Google search as well as Google Scholar search favor (overwhelmingly) "Godhra train burning". Google Books search favors "Godhra train carnage". "Godhra train massacre" is very infrequently used. I think the current title, "Godhra train burning", satisfies WP:COMMONNAME.
    "Godhra train massacre" in the proposal is overly sensationalist and is rarely used to describe the incident. - Aurorion (talk) 08:40, 26 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    • Strong Oppose: It was not a genocide, or a planned massacre. It was just a part of a terrorist procedure. Why are not all terrorist activities termed as "Massacre"? Faizan 13:26, 26 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    • Oppose: The article title is not intended to be a sensational newspaper headline. It is to be a nuetral title describing the main thing in the event. No doubt, the Muslims who actually committed the crime of burning people alive (the worst form of punishment in Islam: Muslims are forbidden to kill anyone by burning; being described as the form of punishment used by God for sinners in Hell) were totally out of their minds, but being too sentimental is no good. Muslims would like to refer to it as an ‘accident’ or a ‘tragedy’, whereas Hindus would like to call it a ‘massacre’ or a ‘holocaust’. Why not keep the third neutral alternative ‘burning’? Шαмıq тαʟκ 14:04, 26 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    "It is to be a nuetral title describing the main thing in the event. " - and you think calling it "train burning" is neutral? What's wrong with you? Is it the highlight of the event? Nope. The "main thing", as you call it, is that there were 58-60 helpless Hindu Pilgrims who were burned to death. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 08:55, 29 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    • Comment: As I mentioned above, both general Google search and Google Scholar/JSTOR searches heavily favor the usage of "Godhra train burning" (Find sources: Google (books · news · scholar · free images · WP refs· FENS · JSTOR · TWL) to describe this incident. Additionally, Google Trends shows that this term has been used by most people all through its history, including recently, after the court judgements some editors mentioned above. Hence, I think it satisfies WP:COMMONNAME.
    The alternative suggested in the original proposal, "Godhra train massacre" (Find sources: Google (books · news · scholar · free images · WP refs· FENS · JSTOR · TWL), is not used widely at all. "Godhra train violence" (Find sources: Google (books · news · scholar · free images · WP refs· FENS · JSTOR · TWL), another suggestion, is very rarely used: just 400-odd Google results.
    Another suggestion given, "Godhra train carnage" (Find sources: Google (books · news · scholar · free images · WP refs· FENS · JSTOR · TWL) gives more results only on Google Books, but I don't think that alone is enough to warrant a renaming over the current title.
    In addition to being WP:COMMONNAME, the current title also is more neutral. Hence I think it should be retained, until it is proved that another name is more widely used to refer to this incident. - Aurorion (talk) 09:57, 29 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    • "Godhra train burning" is neither "ambiguous" nor "inaccurate". Fire definitely was involved in the incident, wasn't it? "Burning" is perfectly clear, there is no lack of clarity in it. It is not "vague". Burning has one single dominant meaning in English, and this incident definitely was a burning. Did the court of law rule that "massacre" is the official, technical term for the incident? "Godhra train burning" is the most widely used name to refer to the incident, including in scholarly sources, which are not known for ambiguity or inaccuracies or vagueness. "Godhra train massacre" is *much* less used. - Aurorion (talk) 16:09, 29 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    • Utter baloney! "Godhra train burning" is absolutely "ambiguous" and "inaccurate". Murder of Hindu pilgrims was definitely the highlight of the incident, wasn't it? 'Train burning' is not even close to the most accurate descriptor, the "train" was only a collateral damage in that incident, the main target was Hindu pilgrims (Kar sevaks). Hence, "Train burning" is not at all clear, there is not a vestige of clarity in it. This needless focus on the "train" in the article title and not the helpless Victims who were ruthlessly murdered in that incident is unfair. It is indeed "vague". If Wikipedia were to refer to the incident in Gulberg as "2002 Gulberg house burning" or "2002 Gulberg destruction of property" instead of "Gulbarg Society massacre", basing on the fact that houses were burnt; properties were destroyed, would it be fair? Nope. Hence it's only fair that we refer to this incident (the Godhra train carnage) as ″Godhra train violence″ not ″Godhra train burning″.
      Prior to the conviction of the murderers and arsonists, this incident was referred to as train Burning. That's why there may be some outdated or partisan sources which still refer to it as "Godhra train burning" as opposed to more apt descriptions as "Godhra Train violence" or "Godhra Train Carnage". Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 16:56, 29 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    • The train was burned, and the incident took place in Godhra, so the name looks very accurate to me. And since there are no other famous train burnings (arson or other) that have taken place in Godhra, it is unambiguous too. "Murder of Hindu pilgrims" may have been the result of the incident, but it took place as a result of the burning of the train, which definitely took place. So again, I think it is perfectly unambiguous, accurate, and clear. And apparently, most secondary sources (including news media and academic sources) seem to agree.
    "Prior to the conviction of the murderers and arsonists, this incident was referred to as train Burning. That's why there may be some outdated or partisan sources which still refer to it as "Godhra train burning" as opposed to more apt descriptions as "Godhra Train violence" or "Godhra Train Carnage".": This is an interesting claim, but it seems to be utterly false. Most sources still continue to refer to this incident as "Godhra train burning" even after the court ruling in 2011. For example, searching for the period starting 2012, Google Scholar gives 6 results for "Godhra train burning". ZERO for any of the other three alternatives proposed here. Even on Google Search, the results for "Godhra train burning" after March 2011 is greater than the results for the three proposed alternatives - COMBINED. A search on Google Trends will show that this is the same for Google searches too. And guess what - this is the case for Google Books as well! So your argument is without any evidence.
    About Gulbarg Society massacre: if you think some other name is the WP:COMMONNAME for this incident, please initiate an RM for that article. I think that phrase is the most commonly used name for that incident, so I think that name is fine. We don't invent technically correct names here on Wikipedia, in most cases, we just adopt the most commonly used, correct names. "Godhra train burning" definitely satisfies this, and "Gulbarg Society massacre" probably does too: you can investigate if you wish. - Aurorion (talk) 17:43, 29 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    This amount of banal sophistry worries me.
    "And since there are no other famous train burnings (arson or other) that have taken place in Godhra, it is unambiguous too. " - nope. It doesn't work that way. It has to be clear in its own merit, not the possibility of the presence of other tragic incident. The title indicates what the article is about. No amount of needless vociferation would be enough to obfuscate this.
    The subject of the article is far more than mere destruction of the train. Wikipedia often avoids a common name for lacking clarity and neutrality in an event where a more accurate and equally common alternative exists. I know you'll leave a lengthy comment right this one but it won't make a any difference to my stance. If you say it's okay to label a deadly incident like a massacre on a train as merely "train burning" and then try to frame it as "accurate", well, then I do not know what neutrality means to you nor do I care. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 19:01, 29 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    Mr T, plenty of academic papers (including those published after court judgements confirming arson as cause) using the current title to describe the incident (compared to few, if any, using the other alternatives under discussion) shows that a lot of intelligent people think it is clear enough, not to mention accurate and unambiguous. The current title shows exactly what the incident is about. Next someone else might argue (like regentspark says below) that "Godhra train massacre" sounds like a train got massacred in Godhra, hence the article should be renamed as "Kar Sevak murder" or some other random name - but Wikipedia articles are not named according to everyone's whims and fancies. Burning on a train, which is what it was, can well be called "train burning". I know this comment will not make any difference to your stance - this is well clear from your highly passionate comments above. But the fact of the matter is, most sources (academic as well as others) refer to the incident as "Godhra train burning" - and this includes recent sources, published after court judgements on the related cases. There is no case to be made that any other name is the common name for this incident. - Aurorion (talk) 19:53, 29 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    Do you have a comprehension problem? Arson means "crime of deliberately setting fire to property" (oxford 1994).
    1. The title isn't "Godhra train arson",
    2. the train was not the target the court has also established that pretty clearly,
    3. Hindu pilgrims were the only target, they were locked from outside then fuel (over 60 litres of petrol along with acid bombs) was poured over to the coaches which were carrying the pilgrims and they were burned to death, some beyond recognition. That's more of a people burning than train burning. Since when is a train more valuable than numerous passengers it was carrying?
    4. A good many people were given death penalties for conspiring to kill those pilgrims, why would they do that if it had been an accident? huh? Why?
    5. The phrase 'train burning' is narrowly focusing on the train, while shunning the real identifier of the incident that is murder of Hindu pilgrims out of communal vengeance.
    If the closing admin doesn't see these then shame on the whole enterprise. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 07:13, 30 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    Do you have a comprehension problem? The fire took place in a train. Just because people were harmed doesn't mean it was not arson. And calling it a train burning does NOT imply that people were not harmed. As I mentioned above, does "train massacre" mean that the train was massacred, and people were not? So then even "Godhra train massacre" would be incorrect according to that logic, and it should be called "Godhra people massacre" or something like that! How silly is that?! How does "burning" imply that it was an accident? Before accusing others of having a comprehension problems, please examine your own faulty logic.
    Aurorion (07:49, 30 May 2013 (UTC)) — (continues after insertion below)[reply]
    Calling it a "train burning" is vague, at best, because it does NOT imply that people were murdered. That's the problem it doesn't describe the actual reality of the situation. BTW, although it shouldn't matter but if you think "Godhra train massacre" is grammatically incorrect then I suggest you go consult with the writers/editors of hundreds of those news reports that use the exact same phrase. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 08:25, 30 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    I think you do not understand the meaning of "vague". The title need not imply that there were casualties. There are several other WP articles of similar incidents (arson fires with casualties) with similar names: Happy Land fire, Pionirska Street fire, El Encanto fire, Primavalle Fire, Cinema Rex fire, 2000 Dharmapuri bus burning, 1979 U.S. embassy burning in Islamabad, Savoy Hotel fire. And I don't think "Godhra train massacre" is incorrect, but by the kind of logic you are saying, it definitely seems to me that it is just as incorrect as "Godhra train burning". And since you have a problem with the "vagueness" or "ambiguity", or "accuracy" of "Godhra train burning", you can consult with the writers/editors of thousands of news reports (far more than those using "Godhra train massacre"), plus the academics and researchers who authored the large number of academic papers. - Aurorion (talk) 09:25, 30 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    Putting your comments in bold will not automatically improve the sense of your argument. You have absolutely no valid argument to support a rename to "Godhra train massacre", when that name is not a commonly used name for the incident in the real world. As I mentioned above, Wikipedia does not invent technical or legal names for incidents, we just use the most commonly used correct names in the real world. And in this instance, I have demonstrated above that "Godhra train burning" is by far the most commonly used name for this incident, including in peer-reviewed academic sources, which are not likely to use incorrect or biased or misleading information, and including recent sources. A vast majority of these sources find "Godhra train burning" an accurate, clear and neutral enough name to describe this incident. Just because you think it is not clear or accurate or whatever, doesn't mean that the title should be changed.
    Aurorion (07:49, 30 May 2013 (UTC)) — (continues after insertion below)[reply]
    You blindly keep on harping on your usual patter. Read WP:COMMONNAME for a change, it favours a clear phrase over an inaccurate, garbled title. If Google book hits are to be trusted as any indicator of popularity of the titles, "Godhra train burning" is neither accurate nor the most commonly used name for this incident; "Godhra train carnage" is.

    My stance is that any suitable title would be better than the current one. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 08:25, 30 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    I just keep emphasising the rules and evidence; and you keep harping on your silly emotional arguments with no or faulty logic. You are right that Google Books is one of the trusted indicators of popularity of titles; and by most trusted indicators of popularity of titles (including Google search, Google Trends, Google Scholar, JSTOR, etc.), "Godhra train burning" is both the most accurate and the most commonly used name for this incident. Your stance of "any suitable title" is rubbish: you even suggested a name which has all of 400 hits on Google, to replace a name which has over a hundred times more. - Aurorion (talk) 09:25, 30 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    The closing admin has to be concerned about Wikipedia rules, not about random people's comments about shame on the enterprise or whatever. The Wikipedia guidelines clearly favor the current name, "Godhra train burning". Getting emotionally worked up in discussions to push your own biased POV won't work. - Aurorion (talk) 07:49, 30 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    "The closing admin has to be concerned about Wikipedia rules, not about random people's comments" - thank you for echoing my view this time. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 08:25, 30 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    You are welcome. - Aurorion (talk) 09:25, 30 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    • Wikipedia:Naming conventions (events) clearly says "if there is an established, universally agreed-upon common name for an event, use that name." I think my comment above demonstrates that the current article title ("Godhra train burning" satisfies this. The current title also describes where the incident happened, and what happened (yes, it was a burning, and it was in a train). These descriptors are sufficient to identify the event unambiguously, since there are no other similar events that can be described using this name.
    The section on maintaining NPOV provides clear guidelines on when strong words such as "massacre" can be used: and IMO this incident does not satisfy them, since "Godhra train burning" is the common name. - Aurorion (talk) 08:12, 30 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    But I guess, in your opinion, Gulbarg Society massacre, Dabgarwad Massacre (i.e. an event of burning down of a single mother Maniben’s home in Ahmedabad, India, on June 9, 1985.) and Naroda Patiya massacre do satisfy the criteria to use such a strong word as "massacre"? This is the bias.

    59 hindus are burned alive, that is not a strong reason for using ′massacre′ in the title, it should be downplayed with an utterly deceptive name "train burning", whereas one single mother’s home in Ahmedabad is burned down it's rightaway branded as a "massacre". WOW! When hindus do it, it's "Massacre", but when Muslims do heinous things however much fatal it may be, "massacre", or "carnage" they are just "strong" words that must be avoided at all cost. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 08:25, 30 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    Like I mentioned earlier, if you have a problem with the titles of other articles, please initiate RMs for those, and I will be happy to provide my opinions there if you wish. If, for those articles, those phrases (with "massacre", etc.) are the common names, then those should be the article titles, as the WP guidelines clearly state. Here "Godhra train burning" is the common name, and there is not enough evidence to suggest otherwise.
    Wikipedia is not the place where zealots of any religion can push their POVs. Before you accuse others of bias, please tone down the religious rhetoric in your posts. - Aurorion (talk) 09:25, 30 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    WOW! Grammar is incorrect, that is the reason you pick? Wow! Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 19:01, 29 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    Please read my oppose. The reason is UCN. Grammar is a secondary issue and would not be a problem if that were the common name. --regentspark (comment) 19:20, 29 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    Would you be in favour of a neutral and descriptive phrase as the title? (cf. WP:NDESC) If so, can you tell me what would that phrase look like? Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 19:06, 29 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    I'm not sure what you're asking. Per policy, we use the common name and don't search for some artificial and subjective construct like 'neutral name' unless there is no common name. As ample evidence above shows, "Godhra train burning" is the common name. --regentspark (comment) 19:20, 29 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    I strongly disagree. WP:UCN asks us to avoid non-neutral vague names that don't describe the topic clearly. You're an experienced editor, at least you seem to be, you should know that. I am asking, would you be in favour of a neutral and descriptive phrase as the title? Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 07:13, 30 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    Mrt, Godhra train burning is (1) the common name (2) describes the topic clearly (3) is descriptive (4) is neutral. We deviate from UCN only if there is a good reason to do so and I don't see any here. --regentspark (comment) 09:43, 30 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    The above discussion is preserved as an archive of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page or in a move review. No further edits should be made to this section.

    Deleted sentence

    I deleted the following sentence from the main page: Investigations and court rulings on the case later established that the fire was caused by arson by radical Islamist mobs and 31 people were convicted for the crime.[1][2]

    I have several problems with this sentence: The reference materials do not mention 'radical Islamist mobs' nor have i ever heard this term used before for the mob which set fire to the train although it is certainly believed to have consisted of muslims. Secondly, it has been suggested that the burning of the train could have been accidental: http://www.hardnewsmedia.com/2013/05/5921 The lower courts in Gujarat have convicted some people for the Godhra train killing, but then the lower courts had also convicted some people for the killing of Narendra Modi's former colleague Haren Pandya. All the people who were alleged to have been involved in the killing of Pandya were subsequently released on appeal. So the judicial process is not yet complete on the guilt of the Godhra accused and the WP article cannot make a definite conclusion about guilt. Soham321 (talk) 02:46, 22 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    To the point raised that it was an accident I must clarify that now it is an established fact that it was a well-planned attack and not a mere accident. Raising this point now is certainly devoid of any merit:
    1. Supreme Court appointed SIT headed by an ex-CBI director has found out so.
    2. The trial court has found so and several people have been convicted for this.
    3. Nanavati-Mehta Commission had found out so.
    4. The conflicting opinion was given by Banerjee Commission which was quashed by the Gujarat High Court. I must point out that Court ruled that the panel was "unconstitutional, illegal and null and void", and declared its formation as a "colourable exercise of power with mala fide intentions", and its argument of accidental fire "opposed to the prima facie accepted facts on record."
    5. These kinds of observations were also made by Teesta Setalavad and now its upto an individual to give credentials to her observation taken the fact that she was not present there and that her story also relies on the point that there were inflammable substance found out inside the train. I do not know if she has still been talking of the same. Also because her own role in the subsequent events and economic motives in the same are under question now.--Mohit Singh (talk) 08:46, 22 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    If I may also clarify the other two points raised by User:Soham321. Though these remarks are devoid of any merit for the present discussion but it should be necessary to clarify the legal position:
    • Haren Pandya Murder Case: People were convicted and later released on Appeal. I presume you meant, they had appealed an subsequent released on bail application by them. But then what? Its a legal process. India is a common law country. We have a system of precedents. One is not guilty untill proven so. If a person has been released on bail on appeal after conviction, he is treated as a convicted person for that period. But even then this point does not serve the current discussion as any reference to Pandya murder case is irrelevant. It would have been relevant if the legal system was referred to and I have clarified the position. It is the trial court which deals with the fact. High Court and Supreme Court are the Courts of law. They are not treated as a court of fact.--Mohit Singh (talk) 08:59, 22 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    Factual accuracy

    During recent research I noted that the main cause of this incident was caused by the activists on the train kidnapping a Muslim women, why is this not mentioned in the lede? Darkness Shines (talk) 17:17, 4 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    And, what is the source for that? Shovon (talk) 17:24, 4 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    I have a few, but will need to dig them back out, sorry about that but I would have thought this common knowledge by those who edit this "article" Darkness Shines (talk) 17:53, 4 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    This might help [1].-sarvajna (talk) 18:06, 4 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    Not really given "He described the whole incident as a 'pre-planned conspiracy'." & the killer punchline of course being "Mahapatra did not rule out the involvement of the Pakistani Inter-Service Intelligence in the incident." Grow up. Darkness Shines (talk) 18:12, 4 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    What??He is/was a Additional director general (law and order) of Gujarat police, he said that no women was kidnapped (it is a 2002 source),I am sure he would know about that incident better. Also what is the reason behind you adding those tags? The tags should be used as a last resort. You have just started the discussion and have not made more than two points. Also when there is no content in the body then why should someone add it in the lead. I have provided the source that shows that there were no kidnapping. Please remove the tag.-sarvajna (talk) 18:20, 4 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    I have always respected you, but if you actually believe that bollocks , well then that respect is gone forever, you can remove the tag if you want I will not complain, all it will do is prove one single thing. Darkness Shines (talk) 18:26, 4 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    DS, get the source, discuss it, even if you are right that only means that the article is incomplete. We do not need a POV tag for that.-sarvajna (talk) 18:33, 4 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    It is just another speculation among a cornucopia of unproven allegations. There is also a theory that suggests Hindus (RSS) actually carried out the burning. Some allege it was Modi himself who burned the train. And it goes on.
    I would also like to point to WP:UNDUE. "Neutrality requires that each article or other page in the mainspace fairly represents all significant viewpoints that have been published by reliable sources, in proportion to the prominence of each viewpoint in the published, reliable sources." That's all. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 09:16, 5 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    Excuse the delay, source is Pogrom in Gujarat: Hindu Nationalism and Anti-Muslim Violence in India Princeton University Press p32. Darkness Shines (talk) 22:04, 5 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    A few observation:
    1. Neutrality:
      1. The use of the label "pogrom" while describing the Hindu-Muslim riots of 2002 which was triggered by the slaughter of Hindu pilgrims and included murder of 250+ Hindus and ended with the criminals getting their due share of comeuppance from the court, gives away the neutrality and factual accuracy of the rest of the book. Just in case anyone is wondering, the author of the book is Parvis Ghassem-Fachandi, an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at Rutgers.
      2. The abstract of the book doesn't even mention the fact that more than a quarter of those who lost their lives in Godhra riots were Hindus.
    2. In that book itself the author says (page 68), "Some karsevaks, or other travelers, were, it seems, worried that women were abducted. [..] There were no firsthand witnesses to the abduction, and the newspaper cites no evidence other than chatter to support the claim."
    This seems that the karsevaks were the ones who were concerned about the abduction as opposed to being complicit in the crime. It also is apparent that there were no evidence basically to support the claim of kidnapping other than stories and conjectures. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 07:15, 6 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    The source says that the activists tried to kidnap a woman, also why does the article not mention that forensic reports show the fire started inside the train? Everyday Nationalism: Women of the Hindu Right in India p26 Darkness Shines (talk) 21:34, 7 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    If there is anything missing then make some concrete proposals and discuss it, your question "why does the article not mention.." makes no sense, you are a very experienced editor you know how to make additions to the article. Adding tag because some info which you think is important is not present is not correct, do not add the tag just because you don't like the way it is written.-sarvajna (talk) 09:18, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    The article is factually incorrect, nor does it maintain a NPOV. Hence the tag. I will fix it but knowing that any fixes will likely be reverted is why I am pointing out the current state of the article. Darkness Shines (talk) 09:23, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    Ok, sure please go ahead and propose your fixes. -sarvajna (talk) 09:28, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    If you have nothing tangible to propose, then why add a tag DS? Propose what you think should be included and we can discuss and include it. BTW, do not paraphrase use the exact line you wish to include and add sources too. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 10:23, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    I could asl the same of you. And I am pointing out major issues here, which are the prelude to what I will do to the article Darkness Shines (talk) 10:29, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    Your perception of what I am doing at other venues is not really the topic here. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 10:49, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    DS, I have reverted your edit for two reasons, 1) You thought that Banerjee committee's verdict is more important than court's verdict, it might not be your intention but looked like that 2) Banerjee committee's report has been declared unconstitutional, illegal and null and void and its formation as a "colourable exercise of power with mala fide intentions" by the courts. -sarvajna (talk) 14:59, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    I cited the BBC, which is already used in the lede. The source used before (which you restored) Rediff. 27 February 2002, and does not even support the statements of fact being made. So you removed a source from 2011 for one from 02 which does not even support the sentence? I am reverting you. Darkness Shines (talk) 15:54, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    And unsurprisingly I was reverted, as it seems accuracy is now POV. The most recent academic sources say the fire started inside the train. "Subsequent forensic reports indicate that the fire began inside the train" Everyday Nationalism: Women of the Hindu Right in India p26 2011 The Making of India: A Political History "the Ahmadabad-based Forensic Science Laboratory reported that it was impossible for flammable liquid to have been thrown inside" 2012 Darkness Shines (talk) 16:16, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    To claim that the massacre was an accident after the court's verdict is out and people have been given death penalties, it is horrendous POV, read what Ratnakar wrote. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 16:46, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    To claim an accident was a massacre after suspect court proceedings is a horrendous POV, I do not care what Ratnakar has written, we are meant to use the most recent and high quality sources available for our articles, you seem to want to ignore them. Darkness Shines (talk) 16:53, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    DS, I do not want you to care what I say, the most important thing is that the courts on different occassion have said two things 1. The Banerjee committee is unconstitutional, illegal and null and void 2. The burning was a pre planned conspiracy, I will provide a better source in the lead and also I will be removing the POV tag, I initially thought that you had some genuine concern, now I have started to feel that you intention might be disruption.-sarvajna (talk) 17:41, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    So you intend to ignore the most recent academic sources? Choose to do so and the POV tag will be there forever. Darkness Shines (talk) 17:44, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    The "most recent academic sources" may be relying on outdated information. There may have been forensic reports (probably ordered by the Banerjee committee) that indicated that the fire began inside the train, but as far as I know, no report claims this after the court verdicts. Can you provide more sources to indicate the dates of these reports? Since the most recent and latest available court judgements indicate that the fire was due to Arson, and most mainstream sources say this, I think the lede should mention only this. Details of other inquiries and conflicting reports can be included in the body, however, also with information about any court judgements against them. - Aurorion (talk) 17:52, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    I have worked on this article's lede before - so I may be biased - but I think it is mostly factually correct, NPOV, and overall appropriate. (Two exceptions: the "2000" figure which may not be a widely accepted figure; and IMO the "31 Muslims" should be changed to "31 people" in the last sentence of paragraph 1.) But perhaps the body can be restructured a bit, to give details of all inquiries including the Banerjee Committee (and including court judgements against this committee). But I think the lede reflects the mainstream consensus on this incident. - Aurorion (talk) 17:58, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    I already did above, 2011 and 2012. This needs to be reflected in the lede per policy. Darkness Shines (talk) 18:00, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    You used a BBC source of 2011, I used a NDTV 2011. -sarvajna (talk) 18:07, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    I am sorry, but aren't those the years of publication of those books? Or do the sources explicitly mention that the reports were from 2011 and 2012? In any case, I think more high quality sources (not sure about the authors of these books) are needed to warrant including this in the lede, considering most mainstream sources seem to believe the version given in the court verdicts.
    On the other hand, this source gives some info on the alleged misbehaviour of train passengers which may have provoked the mob (similar to what you mentioned above): "Taking advantage of the alleged misbehaviour by kar sevaks with Muslim girls, the absconding accused Salim Panwala and accused Mehboob Ahmed alias Latiko raised shouts, called Muslim people from the nearby area of Signal Falia, misleading [them] that kar sevaks were abducting Muslim girl from inside the train, and also instructed [them] to stop the train by pulling the chain". However, even if this is to be included, I think it should be in the body only. (The arson and murder is the important issue, the provocation of that - especially something as flimsy as this - is not nearly as important.) Thanks. - Aurorion (talk) 18:11, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    DS, request you to please provide suggestions and try to arrive at consensus before making edits to the lede. Your recent "not proven conclusively" edit is not a suitable addition to the lede in my opinion. Moreover, I am not sure the source actually supports that statement. I think page 1988 of the book you provided talks about family planning and demographics in India, and not about the subject of this article. Thanks. - Aurorion (talk) 18:35, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    Failed verification

    Fifty-eight killed in attack on Sabarmati Express Source says:

    ″As the train started moving, someone pulled the emergency chain and it came to a halt near the signal point, where a mob attacked the coaches with petrol and acid bombs, setting them on fire, the official said. Some passengers were trapped inside the coaches and burned to death, he said.

    Mahant Devendradasji, the head priest of a temple in Ahmedabad, who was in the train, said: "A few people began stoning the train without any provocation. As a reaction, people inside the coaches downed shutters."

    The mahant said the attackers numbered over 2,000.″

    --That's an eyewitness's testimony.

    The Organiser reported:

    In an unprovoked and pre-planned attack over 2000 Muslim goons armed with swords, crude-revolvers, petrol bombs, acid bulbs, knives and hockey sticks, attacked the four bogies of the Sabarmati Express and burnt alive 58 Ramsevaks. --Organiser - Volume 53 - Page 104 (2002)

    Hindu Vivek Kendra wrote:

    A mob of 2000 Muslims swarmed on this coach with Petrol cans, stones and sticks. They first threw stones on it and as the doors and windows were closed, threw petrol and set the entire coach on fire. Dalits suffered heavily during Gujarat riots

    The Hindu reported:

    The Nanavati-Mehta judicial inquiry commission has based its conclusion that the Godhra train carnage was a “pre-planned conspiracy” on the recorded evidence of over 100 witnesses, who claimed to having heard a crowd of about a 1,000 Muslims shouting “set the train on fire and kill the Hindus.” The report said “instigating slogans” were also made over loudspeakers from a nearby mosque to attack Hindus. The evidence recorded by the commission also claimed that a mob of Muslims attacked the train and stoned the coaches so heavily that the passengers could not come out. This was to ensure maximum casualties when the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express was “set afire.” The commission, in its 168-page report, said the “conspiracy” was hatched by some local Muslims at the Aman guest house in Godhra the previous night. The conspirators immediately made arrangements for collecting about 140 litres of petrol from a nearby pump on the night of February 26, 2002, the next day when the train arrived in Godhra, Hasan Lala, after forcibly opening the vestibule between coaches S-6 and S-7, entered S-6 and threw burning rags setting it on fire. ——Muslim mob attacked train: Nanavati Commission

    ‘Sandesh’ daily the report was,

    “Today in the morning a monstrous mob of more than 500 having set on fire coaches overcrowded with passengers and more particularly by the Hindu devotees returning after attending Ram Yagna in Ayodhya more than sixty persons were burnt alive.” --Google it up I could not find the link online.

    I could not find the link online but ‘Asian Age’ published a report on 28 February 2002 Headline was : “1500-strong mob butchers 57 Ramsevaks on Sabarmati Express”. It read

    ″As soon as the train stopped a mob of more than 1,500 persons reportedly belonging to a minority community, attacked the passengers travelling in the S-6 coach.″

    (My emphases)

    I hope you really stepped away from your chicaneries. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 18:09, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    Page Protecting

    Some of you guys need to read WP:BRD and try for a bit for D and a lot less R. I have locked the article for 3 days to allow you time to sort out your differences. If you reach a consensus before then, feel free to nudge me or another admin to unlock the article. Spartaz Humbug! 19:10, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    The editors are blocked! This protection will be needed when they'll come back! --Tito Dutta  (talkcontributionsemail) 19:50, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    Those two were not the only ones blind reverting. I'll be happy to consider lifting the prot if its shown that there will be no further revert warring. Spartaz Humbug! 20:08, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    A few days of protection won't hurt. Tito, if you think there is anything egregious in the article, just drop a note on this talk page. --regentspark (comment) 20:31, 9 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    Request for comment

    The following line was recently removed from this article, should it be restored? The source is from an academic publisher and is one of the most recent ones I could find on this incident. Darkness Shines (talk) 22:56, 18 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    Although the actual causes of the fire have yet to be proven conclusively.[3]

    Depends what part of the world you live in, try this link. Darkness Shines (talk) 23:12, 18 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    From what I can see, the linked source doesn't say that the causes of the fire have yet to be conclusively proven. It merely says a fire broke out. Is there a specific sentence that categorically states that the origins of the fire have not been conclusively determined? --regentspark (comment) 01:52, 19 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    "The fire was widely understood to have been started by Muslims, although this has never been conclusively proven" is what the source says. Darkness Shines (talk) 07:38, 19 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    The court passed its judgment in Feb 2011, I do not know whether the author of that source has taken the court's judgment into consideration. -sarvajna (talk) 08:21, 19 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    • The most up to date publsihed academic discussion I can find describe the events as follows:-
    1. "On February 27, the VHP resolved to begin construction of the Ram Temple. To celebrate the occasion, thousands of karsevaks—Hindu volunteers—converged at the site, including many from Gujarat. Returning back to Ahmedabad, around 2,000 boarded the Sabarmati Express train. As the train reached Godhra railway station in Gujarat, on the morning of February 27, a fierce fire engulfed one coach of the train. The fire claimed fifty-nine lives, mainly karsevaks. Without any investigation, the BJP government immediately issued a press release calling the fire a “pre-planned terrorist attack”; subsequently the government labeled it “inhuman genocide” or “inhuman carnage.”26 In a state where trivial incidents had previously triggered large-scale violence, this was a trigger of immense magnitude, its impact further heightened by inflammatory headlines in the vernacular press. Later investigation refuted the claim of terrorism. The central government’s Ministry of Railways concluded that the fire was accidental.27 Alternatively, and more plausibly, the incident began with an altercation between the karsevaks and Muslim tea vendors at the station, and then escalated when passengers attempted to abduct a Muslim girl; a Muslim crowd then attacked the train.28"[4]
    2. "there are competing versions as to how exactly the fire started in the train bogies. While the Nanavati commission of inquiry (NCI) instated soon after the Gujarat pogrom and completed in 2008 declared that the fire in the train bogies was a premeditated act by Muslim conspirators, the Banerjee commission instated in 2004 questioned the theory of premeditation and called the incident an accident. The latter commission had been ruled illegal by the Gujarat High court in 2006. Both commissions of inquiry are regularly derided as "politically motivated" by respective opposing political constituencies. Uncertainties surrounding the incident remain."[5] Dlv999 (talk) 22:34, 19 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    • Dlv999, the conclusion of the Banerjee commission that the above sources are referring to was quashed by the Courts and the courts ruled that the panel was "unconstitutional, illegal and null and void", and declared its formation as a "colourable exercise of power with mala fide intentions". We cannot use the Banerjee commission's report to claim that the fire might be accidental, however the report is still mentioned in the article. -sarvajna (talk) 02:08, 20 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    • In addition to what Sarvajna wrote above, I would like to clarify, The Nanavati and Mehta Commission report states:

      "The Commission is inclined to take the view that such an incident had, in fact, not happened and probably what Sophiabanu has stated was at the insistence of Salim Panwala who had spread a false rumour. It appears to be an attempt to pass off the false rumour as true," - False alarm was raised to gather a mob near the train: Nanavati report

    Furthermore, the newsreport appends,

    "This conclusion is important in the context of the conspiracy theory, as it suggests that there was a plan to set the train on fire and a rumour regarding the abduction of a Muslim girl was spread to mobilise a mob near the train. The conspiracy theory would have suffered if the mob had spontaneously reacted to an attempt to abduct a Muslim girl — a version that had found official endorsement in police reports. While the first chargesheet of the case does not mention Panwala and Sophia, they figure in all the 16 supplementary chargesheets filed later."[2]

    (my emphases)
    There is NO EVIDENCE of any kidnapping. The book by Ghassim Fachandi you quote actually corroborated this (in page 68),

    "Some karsevaks, or other travelers, were, it seems, worried that women were abducted. [..] There were no firsthand witnesses to the abduction, and the newspaper cites no evidence other than chatter to support the claim."

    This seems that the karsevaks were the ones who were concerned about the abduction as opposed to being complicit in the crime. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 06:48, 20 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    I haven't suggested we use the the Banerjee commission report to draw any conclusions. I think that would be interpretation of a primary source that, as editors of Wikipedia, we are prohibited from doing. What I have done is cite very recent high quality academic sources which take into account the Banerjee commission report (also acknowledging it "had been ruled illegal by the Gujarat High court in 2006") as well as other evidence and conclude that "Uncertainties surrounding the incident remain".
    As a Wikipedia editor, you shouldn't be drawing any conclusions from court cases or commissions either. The process is to identify high quality sources for the article and represent what they say accurately and without bias. The points on which they agree, we can describe as facts. Where they disagree we describe the points as "significant views". That is the process. Trying to refute what has been written in high quality RS based on your own personal beliefs about the topic is not part of the process. Dlv999 (talk) 07:19, 20 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    I am not suggesting that we interpret a primary source, I am saying that the latest sources that you provided are dependant on the Banerjee commission report, I am not drawing any conclusions from the court case but I am considering the court rulings and commenting that the sources are using report which was ruled as illegal. So you want us to consider that source no matter what? Also like I said above the details of Banerjee commission is present in the article. One more point I see that you have removed User:Mrt3366 can I know why you did that. -sarvajna (talk) 07:40, 20 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    The sources are not "dependant" on the Banerjee commission report. They take the report into account along with other evidence, including the High Court ruling which declared the Banergee commission to be illegal. This is what we rely on high quality sources to do: to sythesize the evidence and draw conclusions (because we as Wiki editors are not allowed to do it.)
    "I am considering the court rulings and commenting that the sources are using report which was ruled as illegal." - Sure and the RS acknowledge that it was ruled illegal and still find that it is relevant as a piece of evidence in the discussion. As published RS, that is their call to make. As Wikipedia editors I don't think it is within our remit to second guess what evidence high quality sources should or should not be considering. We should be identifying the high quality sources and then accurately representing what they say in the article, even if it conflicts with our own personal beliefs about the issues. I think your approach to source analysis is backwards: you are assessing the reliability of the source based on how it conforms with your own personal understanding of the topic and issues surrounding it. Of course there are countless legitimate reasons for questioning the reliability of sources. But I don't think original research/beliefs of individual editors about the topic is one of them.
    @Mr T, as I discussed with you at 2002 Gujarat violence, I don't think journalism is a good source for articles about historical events, especially contentious ones such as these. Our policies and guidance (see WP:HISTRS, WP:SOURCES) tell us to base these articles on academic scholarship. I don't think it is legitimate to cite journalism to try to refute better quality academic sources. Regarding Ghassim Fachandi's comment about the kidnapping. That is fine. High quality RS can disagree on points, and in a topic like this they most likely will disagree a lot. Our job is not to try to identify the one "true" narrative, it is to represent all of the significant views that have been published on the topic (even the ones we may personally find unconvincing). Dlv999 (talk) 08:44, 20 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    it was ruled illegal and still find that it is relevant as a piece of evidence in the discussion - A source, IMHO, is not of high-quality if it bases its arguments on down-right illegal and spurious reports while ignoring otherwise relevant conflicts of interests of some of the complainants, witnesses[3] and accusers[4].

    I don't think journalism is a good source ″ - Would you care to explain why you think so? "Our job is not to try to identify the one "true" narrative" - stop attacking straw-men. I never argued that our job is to try to identify the one "true" narrative.
    "is to represent all of the significant views" - that is what I am telling you all along. Thanks for admitting it. WP:HISTRS is an essay and has not been formally adopted as a guideline or policy. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 09:07, 20 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    Again we are straying away from the subject here

    The subject is actual causes of the fire and the conclusiveness of theories. Mr T(Talk?) (New thread?) 09:12, 20 June 2013 (UTC) Dlv999 As Wikipedia editors I don't think it is within our remit to second guess what evidence high quality sources should or should not be considering : We just cannot use everything that is published, when these sources use illegal report I would not consider them high quality. I am not saying what the source should consider, it is upto the author of that source but when they use wrong reports they become wrong sources.Sure and the RS acknowledge that it was ruled illegal and still find that it is relevant as a piece of evidence in the discussion Like I said again and again we have mentioned about those reports in the article (This might be the third time I am telling this, please check the article).I think your approach to source analysis is backwards: you are assessing the reliability of the source based on how it conforms with your own personal understanding of the topic and issues surrounding it I am sure every editor needs to have some understanding about the subject he/she is editing, let us not question each other's personal beliefs here. Comment on the content if you want. Lastly I understand that you think that Banerjee commission report, it is very much included in the article. -sarvajna (talk) 09:53, 20 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    Sources

    1. ^ "Godhra verdict: 31 convicted in Sabarmati Express burning case". The Times Of India. 22 February 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
    2. ^ Burke, Jason (22 February 2011). "Godhra train fire verdict prompts tight security measures". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
    3. ^ Jeffery, Craig (2011). Isabelle Clark-Decès (ed.). A Companion to the Anthropology of India. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 1988. ISBN 978-1405198929.
    4. ^ "The Political Logic of Ethnic Violence: The Anti-Muslim Pogrom in Gujarat, 2002" (PDF). Politics & Society. 40: 483–516. December 2012. doi:10.1177/0032329212461125. Retrieved 19/06/2013. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
    5. ^ Parvis Ghassem-Fachandi (8 April 2012). Pogrom in Gujarat: Hindu Nationalism and Anti-Muslim Violence in India. Princeton University Press. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-4008-4259-9. Retrieved 19 June 2013.