Ahmedabad: Former BJP leader Suresh Mehta
today said that summoning of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra
Modi by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for questioning
in 2002 riots cases was very much relevant.
"After the Godhra train burning incident (on February
27, 2002), the local officials there said that it was a
communal incident, but Narendrabhai went there and said that
it was a pre-planned terrorist act and not an act of communal
violence," Mehta told reporters while announcing future plans
of his group Parbhud Nagrik Shakti Manch (PNSM) which he has
formed with another former Chief Minister of Gujarat
Shankarsinh Vaghela after he left BJP.
"Without questioning Modi, SIT would not be able to
come to any conclusion. And looking at his conduct outside and
inside the state Assembly at that time, it is highly relevant
to summon Modi," Mehta said.
Narendra Modi has been summoned by SIT on March 21.
The former Chief Minister said that on the very next
day of the Godhra incident, Modi called for a meeting in the
state Assembly to pay tribute to those killed.
"This was beyond the rules of the Assembly as there
are criteria for which special tributes could be paid in the
house," Mehta further said.
"Secondly, after paying tribute to the deceased (of
Godhra train burning incident), the House is adjourned within
10 minutes and the speaker announced that the House shall meet
again tomorrow that is on March 1, 2002," Mehta said.
"But, despite that the House does not meet for next 13
days. And even after 13 days when the House meets, they do not
condole the death of hundreds killed during riots across the
state during that period," he added.
Mehta said that one of the persons killed in the riot
was ex-MP Ehsan Jaffery, but till date no tribute was paid to
him in the state Assembly.
"One can check the assembly records to verify that
fact," he said adding "To get answers of these questions and
Modi's conduct SIT must question the Gujarat Chief Minister."
Mehta, who was with his colleague Shankarsinh Vaghela,
also announce his group Parbhud Nagrik Shakti Manch's (PNSM)
future plan to organise a mega-meeting in Sanad Taluka of
Ahmedabad district on March 28.
"This meeting of common people, government officials,
businessmen, farmers and others has been organised to
demystify the false notion of development put forward by the
Modi government," Vaghela said.
He said that Modi government was responsible for
putting extra burden of debt on the people of the state.
Vaghela said that in Gujarat there has been a decline
in agricultural production, employment and increase in poverty
and public debt after Modi government came to power.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, March 18, 2010, 18:18