Ahmedabad, Feb 1 (IANS) In a breather for Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the Gujarat High Court Wednesday rejected a petition seeking his deposition before the Nanavati-Mehta commission probing the 2002 communal riots in the state.
‘Narendra Modi does not need to depose before the commission,’ the high court said in its ruling on the petition of NGO Jan Sangharsh Manch that is representing the riot victims.
The petition was filed after the commission rejected its application seeking Modi’s deposition.
The NGO said it will now move the Supreme Court.
‘We will move the apex court on this issue. The state government had itself asked the commission to inquire into Modi’s role in the riots. It is only proper that Modi should have deposed before the commission,’ said lawyer and activist, Mukul Sinha, who filed the petition.
The Gujarat government had set up a commission of enquiry headed by retired high court judge K.G. Shah on March 6, 2002 to enquire into the Godhra train burning and the subsequent communal violence and submit a report in three months. On May 22, 2002, the state government reconstituted the commission under retired Supreme Court judge G.T. Nanavati to lead the commission.
Over 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, died in violent clashes after the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express carrying kar sevaks returning to Gujarat from Ayodhya was torched at Godhra railway station on Feb 27, 2002.
