Thiruvananthapuram: In a rare meeting in an era of boiling communal tensions in India, the two most striking faces of the infamous Gujarat riots of 2002 got together in Kerala to raise a toast to peace and communal harmony.

It seemed almost surreal as Qutubudin Ansari and Ashok Mochi, the hunted and the hunter respectively of the gruesome riot-murder-killing episode that wreaked communal havoc in Gujarat 12 years ago, sat beside each other on a stage in Thaliparamba, north Kerala on Sunday.

The unlikely get-together of the duo was realised as part of a seminar, “Twelve years after the genocide”, organised by the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPM). Ansari’s photo was in 2002 carried by media around the world, showing him with folded hands, pleading with a killer gang from the balcony of his house, to save his own and his family’s lives.

Mochi’s photo, too, had been widely publicised, showing him screaming slogans with a raised iron rod in hand and a fire blazing behind him on the road.

“We are thankful to Kerala for bringing us together”, the two concurred. Speaking to the Malayali audience, Mochi said: “Not even a voice is required to speak the language of humanity”.

Ansari played down the role of the attackers in 2002, saying “Mochi was also a victim of sorts, as he was used by the communal elements”.

With their words that went straight to the hearts of the crowd, Ansari and Mochi, both of who do not have a higher education, made the evening memorable to the large crowd.

Ansari went on to pen his experiences of the murderous week in Gujarat in 2002 and Mochi turned repentant and realised how no religion called for violence against fellow human beings. The presence of the duo on stage together was made even more poignant as they shared water from a bottle and even held hands and recited quotes related to communal harmony.

Ansari’s autobiography was aptly released by giving a copy to the daughter of CPM leader U.K. Kunhiraman, who lost his life while attempting to prevent a communal violence incident. Ansari gave the girl a kiss on her forehead before handing over his book.

Mochi touched the hearts of the crowd saying, “It is the first time I am standing in front of so many brothers and sisters”.

Ansari said a lot of people had come to see him since his arrival in Kerala, and that “the very fact that I could not recognise who is Hindu or who is Muslim among them is a matter of joy”. He came to the venue wearing a dhoti in traditional Kerala style and went on to recite a few verses that loosely meant that the chief duty of men was humanity and that the Quran and Gita could be opened after that.

The seminar was inaugurated by CPM state committee member T.K. Hamza and was chaired by MLA, James Mathew.