A demand to summon Modi for the 2002 communal riots was made by the JSM before the Nanavati-Mehta Inquiry Commission in 2007.
After the cross-examination of MJP leader Gordhan Zadaphia on Friday, a ground has been created that may lead to appearance of chief minister Narendra Modi before the Nanavati-Mehta Inquiry Commission which is probing the 2002 communal riots.
A demand to summon Modi was made by the Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM) before the commission in 2007. However, when the commission refused to call Modi in 2009, an appeal against the commission's order was made before Gujarat high court and it is pending there since then.
The JSM had demanded to summon Modi, then health minister Ashok Bhatt, and then junior home minister Zadaphia along with other officer-bearers.
The commission had already got replies from the office-bearers of Modi. Zadaphia had given his testimony earlier and faced cross-examination on Friday. Another top minister in Modi government at that time, IK Jadeja, has also deposed before the commission. And Bhatt died last year.
Zadaphia's deposition before the panel on Friday strengthened the ground for summoning Modi. Replying to a question asked by advocate Mukul Sinha, Zadaphia clarified that he had not got any responsibility of the 'internal security' of the state. That portfolio was held by Modi, who held the charge of the home department.
"I had the charge of only border security and police housing at that time. I did not hold independent charge of the internal security. The charge was at that time held by a cabinet-level home minister (Modi)," Zadaphia said during his testimony.
Zadaphia, however, evaded questions regarding any input received about when Kar Sevaks had gone to Ayodhya and when they were supposed to come back. He also clarified about the transfers of police officers or other inputs forwarded by the police department.
He also clarified that he had not been called to the chief minister's house for a late night meeting on February 27, 2002. The meeting was controversial as suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt has claimed that Modi had instructed top police officers to let Hindus vent their anger at Muslims.
"When the state-level home minister does not know about the vital aspect of the riots, then only his senior home minister (Modi) can know all things and he should answer," said Sinha while talking to DNA.
Sinha mainly wanted information regarding vital issues like who decided to bring the dead bodies of Kar Sevaks to Ahmedabad, what was discussed at the meeting held at the CM's house, BJP's support to the bandh call given by the VHP, and the failure of the government machinery to curb riots at Naroda Patiya, Naroda Gam and Gulbarg Society.
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