Ahmedabad:
A day after Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi received summons from a panel appointed by the Supreme court to look into Gujarat riots cases, the state government is exploring legal options on how to respond.
Modi has been summoned to appear before the Special Investigation Team for questioning on March 21 in connection with the murder of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri during the 2002 Gujarat riots. Zakiya Jafri, Ehsan Jafri's widow, has accused Modi and 62 others of hatching a conspiracy to carry out anti-minority riots in the state.
(Read: Modi summoned by Supreme Court panel)A Gujarat government spokesman said: "The Chief Minister will cooperate with the process of law".
The chief minister has hitherto appeared unmoved when waiting cameras caught a glimpse of him as he emerged from Assembly, but the Congress and BJP are already trading charges.
In the Gujarat Assembly, the Congress raised the issue of the summons to Modi, demanding to know why the Nanavati commission had not summoned Modi in eight years. Congress MLA Arjun Modhwadia said: "The SIT has given Narendra Modi summons for the Gulbarg society scandal. After working very hard for the past eight years, the Nanavati Commission has not called Modi or any other leader and that is what we tried to ask the government."
State spokesperson Jay Narayan Vyas retorted saying witnesses of the Nanavati Commission were tutored.
He, however, refused to comment on whether Modi would appear in person before the SIT.
Meanwhile, the BJP has defended Modi and accused NGOs and activists of a vendetta against the Gujarat CM.
"Shri Narendra Modi is a part of the law which shall be allowed to take its course. Some NGOs have vested interest in conspiracy to defame him. The case is more than six years old. The SIT after investigation gave a report to SC in April 2009 wherein it has castigated some NGOs for tutoring witnesses and making false allegations. It is a legal process which will be honoured," said BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Also Read/Watch:
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Zakiya Jafri speaks to NDTV