Banerjee report a poll stunt by Laloo: BJP

Jaitley said the report’s timing is ‘‘questionable — it gives the game away’’. He pointed out that Banerjee, who was given an extension of three months on December 3, chose to release the interim report on a day that coincided with the closure of nominations for the first phase of polling in Bihar because its release in March would not have helped Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav in the polls.

The BJP leader said the minister could order an inquiry into a train accident but had no right to order a probe into a criminal conspiracy.

The Banerjee report, said the BJP leader, ignored the ongoing trial and was aimed at benefitting those who committed the crime. He said it must be borne in mind that Banerjee was picked up for the job by the political establishment. The credibility of such investigations without public hearings, expert reports, witnesses and cross-examinations is suspect, he added.

Meanwhile, the RSS termed the report politically motivated and said it was aimed at protecting the culprits. Sangh spokesperson Ram Madhav said, ‘‘The content and the timing of the report confirms our worst fears that the whole exercise is politically motivated.’’ Madhav said even earlier, there was evidence which suggested that the fire was lit from inside the coach. ‘‘The crucial question is who lit it?’’ he said. Echoing Jaitley, he said reports suggested that the mob made a forced entry from outside through a vestibule and set the coach ablaze. He said, ‘‘When the fast-track court and two commissions are seized of the matter, this commission efforts seems to be to protect the criminals instead of identifying and punishing them.’’

VHP general secretary Pravin Togadia said the witnesses had not said petrol had been thrown from outside. ‘‘Therefore, raising this point is an attempt to save the conspirators of Godhra,’’ he added.