Fula Vyas, Girish Prajapati and Bipin Patel get thumbs up from voters; social activists term their victory as ‘unfortunate’.
Fula Vyas, Girish Prajapati and Bipin Patel, all accused in two different riot cases won the civic elections on Tuesday. Patel is an accused in the Gulberg Society massacre case while Vyas and Prajapati are accused in the Naroda Gam massacre.
Social activists have termed the victory as 'unfortunate' in a democracy. "It is very unfortunate," said Teesta Setalwad of Centre for Justice and Peace (CJP), an NGO representing the 2002 Godhra riot accused. She further said that the BJP gave tickets to the riot accused and it shows that the party has no remorse for the 2002 communal riots that killed hundreds of people.
"They have no respect for the due process of justice," she said. Another civil rights activist and lawyer, Mukul Sinha said, "This is a very dangerous trend. The manner in which the party is able to promote people, who are directly accused of involvement in riots and encounter is very dangerous. It is time people realise the game plan."
The BJP had allocated tickets to four candidates who were facing serious charges in the 2002 communal riots. Patel was given ticket in 2005 and was repeated this time too.
Patel is a candidate from Meghaninagar ward. Vyas and Prajapati are candidates from Noblenagar and Naroda respectively. Another accused in Naroda Patiya, Kishan Korani was also a candidate from Saijpur-Bogha. But Saijpur's elections were postponed after a Congress candidate died.
All three accused candidates won the elections with a high margin.
Vyas and Prajapati have been accused of being part of a violent mob, attempting robbery, causing damage to property and causing injury. Both the leaders are at present out on bail.
Eighty nine people were killed by an enraged mob in the Naroda Patiya massacre while nine were killed and two went missing in the Naroda Gam incident on February 28, 2002. The Gulberg society massacre saw 69 people being killed.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}