New Delhi: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has now officially replied to summons from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the post-Godhra riots of 2002,
Modi has stated that he is ready to appear before it on March 27.
However, Modi has questioned the propriety of the SIT interrogating him when an appeal on the legality of its probe is pending in the Supreme Court and is to be heard on April 5.
The SIT had summoned Modi following allegations by Zakia Jafri, the widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, who was killed by rioting mob in Ahmedabad's Gulbarg Housing Society on February 28, 2002.
In her petition to the Supreme Court, Jafri had alleged the indirect involvement of Gujarat Chief Minister and 61 others in the massacre in which 69 people died. The Supreme Court of India had ordered the SIT to look into the allegations.
Jafri's charges against Modi state that, as head of the state, he was responsible for fundamental rights, right to life and property of all citizens regardless of caste, community or gender.
She has also alleged that Modi had convened a high level meeting with the then senior police officer of the state and given clear instructions not to deal with Hindu rioting mobs. It claims that on the verbal instructions from the Chief Minister, senior officers deliberately avoided filing affidavits before the Nanavati Commission on the second terms of reference.
Sources say Modi knows well that there is no incriminating evidence against him personally although the state did fail in containing riots in the first few days. Neither has the police nor has the Nanavati Commission summoned him so far.
Gujarat Government Spokesperson, Jay Narayan Vyas had earlier said that the Chief Minister and the Gujarat government would continue to co-operate with the law.
It now needs to be seen whether the summoning would now lead to lodging of an FIR? While that may still not be clear, the riot victims hope, his summoning will be the first step in that direction.
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