Ahmedabad, March 12: The special investigation team (SIT) appointed by the Supreme Court to investigate the 2002 post-Godhra communal carnage has summoned Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi to record his statement on the Gulbarg Society massacre in Ahmedabad.
This is the first time a chief minister has been summoned for questioning in connection with a criminal investigation. The SIT has summoned Modi to its office in Gandhinagar on March 21 to record his statement on the massacre of February 28, 2002, which saw 69 people being killed, including former Congress MP Ehsan Jaffery. Gujarat saw one of the worst rioting in its history after the Sabarmati Express was attacked and allegedly torched in Godhra, killing nearly 60 Ramsevaks returning from Ayodhya.
The SIT order, issued on Thursday, follows the recording of statements of 40 of the 63 individuals, including police officers, Vishwa Hindu Parishad members, politicians and others, who were identified by Jaffery’s widow Zakia as being responsible for the death of her husband.
There was no immediate confirmation whether Modi would turn up. SIT chief RK Raghavan told DNA: “In the normal course we would expect that since a summons is being issued against Modi, he should appear in person before the SIT to record his statement. But we will see what could be done if he doesn’t appear in person.”
Though Modi has been summoned only to record a statement and the SIT action may not have any long-term consequences for his political career or popularity, it is viewed as an embarrassment for him. It could also have political repercussions, as the opposition Congress party has called for his resignation. Modi, who has remained silent on specific accusations about his role in the riots, has so far not appeared before any court or commission over his role till now.
When asked whether the investigations will be concluded after Modi’s statement, Raghavan replied: “I can’t say anything right now. Once his statement is recorded, the investigations can take any turn.”
Interestingly, all the accusations against Modi by politicians and activists about his role in the post-Godhra riots have resulted in strengthening his popularity in Gujarat, resulting in massive electoral gains.
Many of the statements recorded by SIT reportedly refer to Modi’s role in the rioting, said a highly placed source. SIT has to submit its final report on the Gulbarg Society massacre to the Supreme Court by April 30.At least two witnesses – Imtiaz Pathan and Rupa Modi, in addition to Zakia Jaffery – have stated that Ehsan Jaffery called Narendra Modi when the mob was approaching their house in Naroda on February 28, but the chief minister had allegedly refused help.
Subsequently, this east Ahmedabad society, inhabited by middle-class and upper middle-class Muslims, saw one of the goriest massacres in the history of Gujarat which continued between 9 am and 5 pm as mobs went on the rampage and burnt people alive in their houses.
SIT was constituted in late 2008 by the apex court and is headed by former CBI director RK Raghavan. The team has three Gujarat IPS officers as its members – Surat commissioner of police Shivanand Jha, Rajkot commissioner of police Geeta Johri, and inspector-general of Ahmedabad Range Ashish Bhatia. In addition, it has retired CBI officials AK Malhotra and Paramveer Singh as members.
Zakia, in her 100-page complaint, has alleged conspiracy by Modi and 62 others, including his cabinet colleagues, senior police officials and senior bureaucrats. Gordhan Zadaphia, Ashok Bhatt, and PC Pande, who were the home minister, health minister and the city police commissioner at the time of the riots, were also named in the complaint.
“I hope that justice will be given to us…It has been a long journey. I am very happy that Modi has been summoned,” Zakia said.
–Agencies–