Modi govt gets clean chit in 2002 Gujarat riots

The Gujarat government on Wednesday submitted the final part of Nanavati Commission's report on riots after the Godhra incident in 2002, giving "clean chit to the then chief minister Narendra Modi and all his then colleagues and entire state machinery."

Minister of State for Home Pradipsinh Jadeja said, "The commission has found that there was no larger conspiracy behind the riots as was alleged by several NGOs and Congress leaders back then. It was only with an intention of maligning the image of now Prime Minister Narendra Modi that these people came up with allegation of a larger conspiracy."

The report tabled in the Assembly states, "On overall consideration of the entire material, the Commission finds that the communal riots which followed the Godhra incident were really by way of aftermath of that incident. It was because of the Godhra incident that large sections of the Hindu community became very angry and ultimately indulged in violent attacks on Muslims and their properties."

"There is no evidence to show that the attacks were either inspired or instigated or abated by any Minister of the state or by any religious or political party or organisation as such. The only thing that can be said with some certainty on the basis of evidence which has come before the Commission, is that local members of VHP, Balrang (sick) Dal took part in incidents which happened in their localities. In some incidents in three or four districts including Ahmedabad, some local BJP workers also appear to have taken part," the commission noted.

The report has termed former IPS officer R B Sreekumar, who had testified against Modi and others before the commission as "disgruntled officer." The report also discredits evidence of former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, who for the first time had testified in 2010 that he had attended the controversial meeting on February 27, 2002, in Gandhinagar where Modi had allegedly told officers to "let Hindus vent their anger." This meeting was held hours after coach S-6 of Sabarmati Express train was set on fire at Godhra railway station that killed 58 kar sevaks on the spot and led to widespread riots in the state. The report also doesn't believe in the testimony of retired IPS officer Rahul Sharma.

The commission's report also clears Modi's role in handing over the dead bodies to VHP leader Jaydip Patel. There were allegations that dead bodies of victims were paraded in several parts including in Ahmedabad leading to communal hatred. The report states, "The evidence also discloses to send those dead bodies to Ahmedabad was taken for the reason that curfew was already imposed in Godhra town by the time such decision was taken and it was felt that would be very difficult for the relatives of those dead persons to come to Godhra and collected dead bodies of their relatives. The commission doesn't find any substance in the allegation that the chief minister had arranged the same with an evil intention."

The report contains nine volumes that have over 2,500 pages. On the question of then chief minister not opposing the bandh call given by VHP on February 28, 2002, that allowed the rioters to target Muslims, the report states, "The evidence discloses that the 'Bandh' call was given by BJP on its own and the Chief Minister and other Ministers came to know about it later. The Bandh was not supported by the Government or the Chief Minister or any of his Ministers. State transport buses were seen plying on the roads on 28.02.2002 and they were attacked by the mobs, which had gathered on the roads."

The report also has a statement of Modi that was recorded before the commission. It quotes Modi as saying, "I didn't receive any telephone call from Ehsan Jafri, Ex-Member of Parliament either on 28.02.2002 at 1 am or any other point of time." It is to be noted that Jafri's wife Zakia had alleged that her husband called multiple times for help while a mob was swelling outside the Gulberg Society. Jafri and 68 others were burnt alive on that day in Ahmedabad at their residence at Gulberg Society.

Earlier in 2008, the commission had submitted its first report based on its probe on the burning of the Sabarmati Express train at Godhra railway station. In this report also, the commission gave clean chit to then chief minister Modi while holding that there was no evidence to show that he or his ministers or police officers had any role. Part-two of the report is based on the subsequent riots.

On March 6, 2002, the state government had appointed the one-member commission of retired high court justice K G Shah. Following litigation in the Supreme Court, another member retired justice G T Nanavati was added in the commission. In 2008, justice Shah passed away. The commission took a record 12 years to submit its report to the state government.