The order of the SC to reinvestigate the eight riots have led to fears of this development having political ramifications in the remaining phases of voting.
The landmark order of the Supreme Court to reinvestigate the eight riots cases may have come a day after voting in Gujarat, but fears of this development having political ramifications in the remaining phases have not been ruled out.
Speculations abound whether and how political parties will use this during campaigning for the remaining two phases of the elections. Both leading parties have welcomed the judgment for now. It is pertinent to note that the cases have been transferred to Gujarat with a clear indication that they may be shifted out again if the apex court is not satisfied with the trials during continuous monitoring of the cases.
And interpretations of how the court views the case are aplenty. Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) activist Teesta Setalvad observed that the SC has accepted the grave anomalies in the investigation and has actually given the responsibility of a fair trial to the Special Investigation Team (SIT). “The SC has reposed entire responsibility on the SIT and has in fact put the Gujarat government on trial. Senior judicial officers will be appointed for these cases by the chief justice of Gujarat,” she said.
But fears of interference from the state machinery continue to haunt some. Senior counsel and convenor of the Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM) Mukul Sinha welcomed the judgment, but expressed scepticism over the protection of witnesses. “Security should be provided in such a way that it eliminates the influence of higher-ups,” he said.
A day after polling in the state, the Gujarat Congress is boldly blaming chief minister Narendra Modi for the communal carnage. “Everyone knows that the main perpetrators were Narendra Modi and company. This was a political conspiracy to divide people on communal lines and seek votes of the majority community. His partners in crime, including Maya Kodnani and Jaideep Patel, were told that they will not be ‘touched’ by the law. Following these assurances, they took law and order into their hands,” said Gujarat Congress chief spokesperson Arjun Modhwadia.
The BJP on the other hand also welcomed the order. Spokesperson for the BJP government, Jaynarayan Vyas said the order was a positive sign for the state as it allayed political accusations of absence of a free and fair trial in Gujarat. “The Supreme Court has vindicated our stand that Gujarat has a bureaucratic setup and its judiciary is competent enough to deliver justice. The law will take its own course and we welcome the judgement,” he said.
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