Modi questioned over 2002 riots case

GANDHINAGAR - Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Saturday appeared before a Supreme Court-appointed probe panel to be questioned for the first time over his role in the 2002 communal riots in the state.

Wearing his trademark crisp white kurta and pyjama, Modi reached the Special Investigation Team (SIT) office around noon under tight security. The venue was the Old Secretariat building where a battery of journalists and photographers was waiting for him since morning.

Modi is being probed following a complaint by Zakia Jaffri, widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jaffri, who was killed in the riots, that the chief minister was party to the violence in the state eight years ago.

Zakia Jaffri has alleged that Modi and his administration aided and abetted the rioters in Ahmedabad’s Gulberg Society where over 60 people were burnt to death in 2002. The victims included Ehsan Jaffri.

The complainant also alleged that the chief minister had instructed his officers and police not to take any action against rioters.

Modi, one of the top leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), greeted journalists with folded hands as he got off from his car near the barricaded SIT office.

An official spokesman said Modi’s decision to submit himself for questioning was no setback for the state government. “What setback?” asked spokesman Jai Narayan Vyas.

We have always said that he will abide by the rule of law but much hype is being made… Modi is cooperating, he said.

BJP spokesperson Ramnath Kovind said the party was proud of Modi. He is a law abiding chief minister. We should feel proud of him, Kovind told IANS.

Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily said it was unfortunate for a chief minister to be in a situation like that.

“It is most unfortunate that Modi landed himself to that kind of a situation. It is not desirable but unfortunately it has happened,” Moily told reporters in New Delhi on the sidelines of a Congress function.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) asked Modi to step down on moral grounds.

There is no justification for him to continue as the chief minister. He should resign on moral grounds, a CPI-M leader, M.K. Pandhe, told IANS. There is no doubt that he is guilty in the riots case.

Social activist Teesta Setalvald, who has been fighting for the riot victims, said: It was an important day for democracy and rule of law when a sitting chief minister has been forced to appear before an inquiry team after various attempts to block justice.

The panel had issued notice to Modi March 11 seeking his deposition during the week beginning March 21 on Zakia’s complaint.

The BJP-ruled state was rocked by communal riots sparked off by a train burning at Godhra that killed 59 Hindu passengers. Most of those killed in the retaliatory violence were Muslims.