Ahmedabad: Former Gujarat minister of state
for home, Gordhan Zadafia, on Friday told the Nanavati Commission
that the decision to bring bodies of the victims of 2002
Godhra train burning incident to the city "could have" been
taken by Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Bringing dead bodies back to the city is believed to have
worsened the violence that followed.
Zadafia was today cross-examined for nearly three hours
before the riots-probe panel, where he also revealed that he
never instructed former minister I K Jadeja to go to DGP
office on February 28, 2002, contrary to the latter's stand.
The former MoS Home, who is no longer with BJP, also
refuted the allegations of suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt
that he was lying about not having knowledge of the emerging
tense situation at various places in the city on February 28.
"The decision to bring back bodies could have been taken
by the two senior ministers who were there in Godhra - Ashok
Bhatt and the CM (Modi)," Zadafia said, in an answer to a
question by Mukul Sinha of NGO Jansangharsh Manch (JSM).
During his earlier deposition before the Commission on
November 19, 2010 Zadafia had said this decision was taken by
two senior ministers, but had not named anyone.
In the deposition in December last year Zadafia said that
the bodies were brought to Ahmedabad as most of the victim-
karsevaks were from the city or nearby areas.
But today Zadafia said the decision to bring back
charred bodies to Ahmedabad was taken prior to their
identification. He also said he came to know about this
decision only in the morning of February 28, 2002.
When asked if he had instructed the (then) minister for
Urban development I K Jadeja to go to DGP office in
Gandhinangar, Zadafia said, "I did not tell Jadeja to go to
DGP office or anywhere."
Jadeja, during his cross examination in December before
Nanavati Commission, had said he was present in DGP office on
February 28 on the instruction of Zadafia. Jadeja is accused
of interfering in the police work when violence was unfolding.
On Bhatt's allegation that Zadafia was incorrect in
stating that he was not aware of riots in Naroda area and
Gulburg society, Zadafia today said he was not aware of
Bhatt's letter to Commission, nor had he received any
messages on this during the riots.
Bhatt, who was DCP with the State Intelligence Bureau
(SIB) during the 2002 riots, has claimed in letter to the
Commission that both Modi and Zadafia had been informed of
likely repercussions of bringing dead bodies back, as well as
of the violence at Gulberg Society and other places.
When asked why the state government failed in preventing
the Godhra killings, Zadafia said, "We did not have any prior
information that such an incident could happen."
He said he had given necessary directions to police about
taking preventive action after the Godhra incident, but dodged
a question as to why the state government failed to prevent
the riots, saying that he could not speak for the whole
government.
On his statement of November 2010, where he had denied
that Modi government ever asked the administration and police
not to act against rioters for 24 hours after the Godhra
incident, Zadafia today said he had said so because he was not
aware of any such instructions (from Modi or others).
In 2002 he was MoS Home, but did not have independent
charge of internal security, which was with Modi himself.
Police did not report to him (Zadafia) on internal security
directly, he said.
On February 27, 2002, Zadafia said, Modi directed him to
go to Godhra. When asked if Modi had told him about late
evening meeting at CM's residence, Zadafia said that he came
to know about it only later. He did not remember if he had
attended other meeting called by the CM on February 28, 2002,
Zadafia said.
Further, he did not remember if BJP had supported the
Gujarat bandh call of VHP, he said.
Zadafia admitted that he might have talked to some of the
persons, now accused in the Naroda Patiya or Naroda Gam riot
cases, immediately after the Godhra incident, but said he did
not remember nature of conversations as nearly 10 years had
passed.
He denied having any role in taking away charge from P C
Pande as Ahmedabad police commissioner a month after the
communal riots, or transferring other police officers.
PTI
First Published: Friday, January 13, 2012, 19:38