Ahmedabad: When the entire society was afflicted by the ominous "us and they" syndrome, which did not spare even the educated elites and allegedly even cops, here is a bunch of "humans" emerging as "different" from the run of the mill type.

The staff at the state-owned Civil Hospital in Meghaninagar are on round-the-clock job rescuing the injured, irrespective of their religious affiliations.

"Those who killed innocents, either in Godhra or in Ahmedabad, did what they thought their religion was. I went by my religion and saved them," says Dr Prashant Baranwal.

For scores of doctors and nurses and other hospital staff, it is not an easy task.

Perhaps, more than the work load part of it, they had to keep their emotions in check.

"It is not an easy task to forget your identity when everybody in the town is talking about religion and communalism. Television channels dwelt on those lines, so did wife and kids," confessed a doctor.

Notwithstanding the work load, several hospital staffers, within days had cleaned off their beards.

"We were coming to do our job, but there was something definitely wrong in the air. In these circumstances, anyone could be carried away," says nurse Anushka.

Agrees Dr Baranwal, "Godhra left me also disturbed. I hail from Gorakhpur in UP and things are volatile there too. At times I find myself fuming."

However, ultimately, good sense prevailed in "all of us", says Sister R D Patel and adds, "after all this is the sanctity of our profession".

"When the entire world has shut doors to you, we are here," says a shy looking nurse, trying to conceal her tears.

"The success rate has been very encouraging. Out of a number of those admitted in the burn injuries ward, we have at least 15 of them discharged," Dr Baranwal says.

And as the injured ones are being healed, within hours "an air of relief and happiness" engulfed the strategic Meghaninagar Hospital tri-junction with several injured in the violence at Godhra and in the city returning home having born a new life.

It was a true sight of humanity and compassion when a number of minority community members either lay on bed or their relatives waited anxiously "resting all of their confidence in the hands of few kafirs (doctors)", says one injured.

"These doctors have given us new life and new hopes. I cannot imagine they are the same kafirs whom I was taught to hate," says one Altaf (name changed).

A limping 75-year old man walked into the arms of his sobbing son saying "I am glad to be back with you."

PTI