Celebrate or despair: Kapil Sibal on Naroda Gam case verdict
Rajya Sabha MP and senior lawyer Kapil Sibal criticized the Ahmedabad court's decision on Friday to acquit all the 67 accused in the two-decade-old Naroda Gam case. Reacting to the judgment, the 74-year-old veteran politician took to Twitter and questioned whether the country should be celebrating the rule of law or be in despair for its demise.
Why does this story matter?
A special court in Ahmedabad on Thursday acquitted all the accused in the case, including former Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi and ex-Gujarat minister Maya Kodnani. Eleven Muslims were allegedly burned to death after mobs set their houses on fire in Ahmedabad's Naroda Gam in 2002. To note, a detailed judgment is set to be made available in the coming days.
Celebrate rule of law or despair its demise, asks Sibal
Expressing his thoughts about the judgment, Sibal tweeted, "Naroda Gam: 11 of our citizens including a 12-year-old girl killed. After 21 years, 67 accused acquitted. Should we: Celebrate the rule of law or despair its demise!." "Somebody was killed. It is the job of the investigating agency to find out who did it," news agency PTI quoted the senior lawyer as saying.
Prosecuting agencies seeking acquittal or punishment: Sibal
Furthermore, the Rajya Sabha MP also questioned the prosecuting agency and asked, "Are the prosecuting agencies seeking acquittal or punishment? I am certain that the prosecuting agency will not file an appeal." "I wonder if the courts are mere mute spectators to the unfolding saga of injustice that is unraveling itself in trial after trial," added the 74-year-old.
Details on court's judgment in Naroda Gam case
The Ahmedabad court of SK Baxi, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) case special judge, acquitted all the accused in what is considered one of the worst massacres during the state-wide riots triggered by the 2002 Gujarat riots. Notably, a Supreme Court-appointed SIT investigated the case. Eighty-six were accused in the case, 18 died during the trial, while one was discharged due to insufficient evidence.
Owaisi's reaction to Naroda Gam case verdict
After Thursday's one-line verdict, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) supremo Asaduddin Owaisi lashed out at Gujarat's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "You leave behind smoke wherever you go, you cause chaos wherever you go. Politics has given you the right to leave a trail of blood on the fertile land," Owaisi tweeted. "You are free to bad-mouth anyone, you are free to kill anyone."
Twitter post by Owaisi
Details on Naroda Gam violence
Described as one of the worst incidents of violence during the Gujarat riots, the scene unfolded on February 28, 2002, a day after nearly 58 Kar Sevaks returning from Ayodhya on the Sabarmati Express were burned to death in Godhra after the train was set on fire. The incident sparked widespread rioting in the state, which became known as the post-Godhra riots.
