BJP suspects 'GOI elements' role in leak of Special Investigation Team report on Gujarat riots

New Delhi, Feb 4 : Suspecting the hands of 'elements of Government of India' behind the leakage of the portions of the Special Investigation Team report on the Gujarat riots filed before the Supreme Court, the BJP stressed the need for a probe into the leakage of the confidential information to the select media.

Reacting to the portions of the SIT reports submitted to the Supreme Court on the 2002 Gujarat riots finding their way to the media, BJP spokesman Ravishankar Prasad told reporters that the apex court had directed the SIT to submit the report in a 'sealed cover' and the BJP has not even have slight doubts about the impeccable integrity of the Court in maintaining the secrecy that was expected of it.

He said a similar report was filed before the SC giving out the details of 24 holders of secret bank account holders outside of India and till today not a single name had come out. It goes to the credit of the SC for maintaining the secrecy that was expected of it.

However, the elements in the GOI which was confronted with problems from all sides to divert the attention of the people from these issues had 'engineered' the leakage to the select media after the SIT submitted its report to the Court in a sealed cover, he said. He, however, would not go into the 'contents of the leaked information' because they were before the SC for consideration and it had not formed its views.

He said riots were unfortunate and condemnable wherever they happened but it went to the credit of Gujarat that it had highest record in awarding punishment for the crime where over 700 people were convicted for the offences including 70 who were awarded with Rigorous Imprisonment ranging from 10 to 20 years.

Of all the parties, the Congress can not raise questions on Gujarat riots after its own tainted record in 1984 riots against Sikh community in Delhi and other parts of the country. The party spared no effort to save the likes of its leaders like Sajjan Kumar, Jagdish Tytler and its President Rajiv Gandhi went to the extent of justifying the riots when he remarked 'the earth is bound to shake when a big tree falls', Mr Prasad said.

As far as Gujarat after the riots were concerned both Hindu and Muslim communities were living harmoniously with amity and good will. Even the leaked records said that there was no evidence of interference by Mr Modi or others but he would not comment upon it as he was not privy to the report except the leaks and the Court has not even considered it.

Gujarat to build 'Statue of Unity' in memory of sardar Patel: Narendra Modi

Gujarat to build 'Statue of Unity' in memory of sardar Patel: Narendra मोदी

Nagpur, Feb 4 : Chief Minister Narendra Modi announced that people of Gujarat will build the world's tallest statue, the 'Statue of Unity', in memory of Iron man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at Sardar Sarovar Project, on the lines of 'Statue of Liberty' at New York in United States

He was addressing the gathering of 'Swarnim Gujrat Mahotsav' here. Gujarat Tourism Corporation president Kamlesh Patel, Gujarati Samaj city president Jayprakash Parekh were present on the occasion.

Mr Modi said ''In United States, there is a huge Statue of Liberty'. On the same lines, we have decided to build statue of Sardar Patel in the Narmada river. It will be known as the 'Statue of Unity'.'' He said the stucture would not be built with the government money, but through contribution from people of Gujarat.

Sardar Patel does not being only of the Government, but he was a representative of entire Gujarat and India, he noted.

The Chief Minister further said the statue would be two times taller than Statue of Liberty and highest in the world.

He appealed to everyone to come forward for the development of Gujarat and participate in the state's growth story. It is a service to the nation and service for the nation, he added.

''In Gujarat, you will find development works everywhere. It's a symbol of our growth story,'' Mr Modi claimed.

Gujarat questions IPS officer for furnishing riots call data

AHMEDABAD: Following the Special Investigation Team's (SIT) report that indicted Gujarat's chief minister Narendra Modi for his alleged complicity in the 2002 riots, the state government has taken a senior IPS officer to task for sharing telephone records with various inquiry panels.

The Gujarat administration issued a show-cause notice to senior IPS officer, Rahul Sharma, asking him why he should not be charge-sheeted for handing over the telephone records concerning the 2002 riots to inquiry panels without obtaining due permission from the government.

The in-charge Director General of Police Chitranjan Singh confirmed the issuance of the show-cause notice and added that the government had granted 15-day time to Sharma to reply to the notice.

Sharma was posted in Ahmedabad during riots. He had asked private service providers like Celforce and AT&T to furnish details of calls made across the state during late February and early March of 2002. The CDs obtained by Sharma, however, went missing before it was brought on record by the investigating agency, the city crime branch that probed three major massacres of the city at Naroda Patia, Naroda Gam and Gulbarg Society.

When Sharma was called for deposition at the Nanavati-Shah commission, he submitted a copy of the CD to the inquiry panel. Later, he also submitted a copy of call records to the Banerjee committee, set up by former union railway minister, Laloo Prasad to probe the incident of fire in S-6 of Sabarmati Express at Godhra station on February 27, 2002. It was after killing of 59 passengers in this incident, violence spread across the state resulting in more than 1,100 deaths.

After the Supreme Court set up a special investigation team in 2008, Sharma was one of the key witnesses for the SIT to probe the larger conspiracy behind the riots. SIT also got telephone details from Sharma. He has been examined by one of the special courts set up to hear post-Godhra riots cases.

Following the recent SIT report, the Modi government questioned Sharma on why he furnished the data before the probe panels without consulting the government.

Interestingly, the Narendra Modi government has been questioning the authenticity of the call details provided by Sharma to different inquiry panels. When the chief minister was sought to be questioned in connection with the 2002 riots on basis of the call details, the government raised a question on veracity of the data claiming before the Godhra probe panel that the CD furnished by the senior cop was not verified by any authority.