Gujarat riots: CM Narendra Modi answers inquiry panel’s questions

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi kept his date with the Special Investigating team at Gandhinagar on Saturday and answered 68 questions relating to the Gulburg Society killings during the 2002 post-Godhra communal riots.

The media and the Congress were speculating that the BJP Chief Minister might ignore the summons to appear by the SIT. But the shrewd Modi surprised everybody. Totally composed and confident, Modi joked with the media after the first round of 62 questions, lasting five hours saying he had given a fitting answer to his critics. He said he had the highest regard for the legal process.

Modi came back after an evening break for a 9 p.m. final session with the investigating team to answer the remaining six questions as he wanted to finish the process on Saturday itself. He said he had given full cooperation to the SIT. The SIT has been appointed by the Supreme Court.

Making an effort to clarify that there was no favoritism involved, Modi said the SIT officers who questioned him were chosen by the Supreme Court and that none of them were from Gujarat. He also asserted that no one, including him, was above the law of the country and that his behavior and act of presenting before the SIT has proved his detractors wrong. "I hope the vested interests will now stop criticizing me," he added.

Modi was summoned to appear before the probe panel following allegations by Zakia Jaffery, widow of former MP Ehsan Jaffery, killed in the Gulburg Society riots.

The Supreme Court had on April 27 last year asked the SIT to inquire into Zakia's complaint where she alleged that Modi and 62 others, including his cabinet colleagues, police officials and senior bureaucrats aided and abetted the riots which left over 1,000 people dead. The former MP was killed along with 69 others by a mob at Gulburg society in February 2002 following which Zakia lodged a complaint on June 8, 2006.

-Asian Tribune-