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New Delhi: The Supreme Court has ordered a probe
into the alleged role of Gujarat Chief minister Narendra
Modi in the 2002 Gujarat riots.
The apex court has asked the Raghavan Committee to probe
Modi's role and submit its report in the next three
months time.
SC has also asked the committee to probe the roles of a
cabinet minister in the Modi government, three MLAs,
three VHP activists and several IAS and IPS officers as
well.
The decision came on a plea filed by the wife of slain
ex-MP, Ehsan Jaffri and social activist Teesta Setalvad.
"It's a huge victory because this is an indication of
what we have been saying for almost six years now. We
have been asking for an investigation and not presuming
people are guilty like the opposite side does. The
police had used Modi's political clout to delay the
probe, now the Supreme Court has renewed faith in the
justice system by saying at least investigate it,"
Teesta Setalvad told CNN-IBN.
"Ten days ago, the Gujarat government was all gung ho
when they were trying to malign me and my organisation.
People who fight for Human Rights don't look at the
elections in that sense that is for the political
parties and their opponents to do. We have been
struggling non stop since 2002 to get justice and we
haven't stopped. In fact neither of the secular parties
have supported us either, so we are not there for the
politics of it, we are there for Human Rights and
justice," she added.
However, BJP leader Arun Jaitley said, "It seems to have
become a convention to raise both in and out of courts,
issues related to Gujarat prior to any elections. It's
just another investigation and previous ones too had not
found anything against Narendra Modi. It's still in
court. We don't want to comment.”
Meanwhile, Congress Spokesperson Veerappa Moily said, "Narendra
Modi must step down as Gujarat's Chief Minister for a
fair trial.”
"The question arises has Advani already been shown the
door by his party? Hasn't he just become a mask for Modi?
That mask is obviously needed because within the NDA,
Modi does not have acceptability.
Within the country Modi does not have that much
acceptability as much as Advani. Modi, the other
PM-in-waiting will turn a blind eye and say 'why should
I apologise for Godhra'," added Congress Spokesperson
Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
Attacking the BJP over the 2002 post-Godhra communal
riots, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said on Sunday
that the carnage was against the historic tradition of
Gujarat.
"Only NDA can give you politics of division. Gujarat is
the state of Mahatma Gandhi, who worked for communal
harmony throughout his life," the Prime Minister said,
addressing his first election rally in the state, that
goes to polls on April 30.
"Those parties who fan communalism are insulting Mahatma
Gandhi and Gujarat. During the NDA regime, due to few
people, whatever happened in 2002 was against the
historic tradition of your state," Singh said.
"Politics of hate and division cannot take us forward.
There is no other way than secularism for this country,"
he said.
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