Riots probe exposes conspiracy to defame Modi: BJP

The Nanavati Commission report on the 2002 Gujarat riots exposes the "conspiracy" by certain NGOs and the Congress to defame Prime Minister Narendra Modi globally, state Home Minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja said on Wednesday.

The commission's report, tabled in the Gujarat Assembly on Wednesday by BJP leader Jadeja, gave a clean chit to then chief minister Narendra Modi-led state government for the worst riots in the history of the state where over 1,000 people, mainly of the minority community, were killed.

The riots took place after two coaches of Sabarmati Express train were set on fire near Godhra railway station, in which 59 'karsevaks' returning from Ayodhya were killed.

"The commission's report clarifies all doubts among people regarding the 2002 riots in the state. It also exposes a conspiracy by certain NGOs and the Congress to malign Modi's image the world over," Jadeja told reporters after tabling the report in the House.

The commission makes it clear that there was an attempt to malign Modi's image, the BJP leader said, while naming NGOs like the 'Jan Sangharsh Manch' and the 'Citizen for Justice and Peace of activist Teesta Setalwad.

"Several NGOs had been conspiring to malign the image of Gujarat, its people and Narendra Modi (then chief minister of Gujarat). To fulfil their agenda, they made allegations that the riots were state-sponsored, he said.

But the commission, in its final report, has clarified that the then chief minister held review meetings, visited incident spots, and worked hard to ensure peace and law and order during the riots, the minister said.

He said the commission "did not agree" to any of their (NGOs) allegations.

The commission gave a "clean chit" to the then chief minister Modi and others on their alleged role in the 2002 riots, Jadeja said.

Claiming that three former IPS officers R B Sreekumar, Rahul Sharma and Sanjiv Bhatt tried to put the government in the dock over the riots, the minister said the "commission made it clear that it does not agree to their allegations".

"The commission has mentioned negative roles played by them...it has made it clear that it does not agree with these IPS officers," he said.

Jadeja said Modi had gone to Godhra and the train burning site soon after the incident not on a "private visit" to damage evidence, as was alleged.

"The local administration knew about his visit and officials in Godhra knew about it, the report says," the minister mentioned, quoting the commission's findings.

About a meeting at Modi's residence during the riots, the commission says it was held to review the situation and effort to bring it under control, Jadeja added.

On the delay in tabling the Nanavati panel's findings, he said the report is voluminous and it takes time to review every aspect of it.

"The report has nine volumes and has more than 44,450 affidavits, including 488 affidavits by bureaucrats. When the report is so voluminous, it takes time to study its various aspects. But we placed it today before the Assembly," he said.