Cornered, Gujarat govt looks at HC exit

With the BJP continuing its attack on the NHRC—party spokesman V K Malhotra said the commission could be perceived as ‘‘anti-...

With the BJP continuing its attack on the NHRC—party spokesman V K Malhotra said the commission could be perceived as ‘‘anti-Hindu’’—two senior Gujarat ministers arrived in New Delhi to meet Law Minister Arun Jaitley to explore what their next step should be.

They were State Home Minister Amit Shah who had yesterday slammed the NHRC for its decision to move the apex court for a re-trial of the Best Bakery case outside the state. And Law Minister Ashok Bhat whose office told The Indian Express that a ‘‘political decision’’ had to be taken on when to file an appeal.

One step the Gujarat government is considering is to appeal the Best Bakery not-guilty verdict in the high court. So far its stand has been that it had three months to decide but with the NHRC going to the Supreme Court, sources said the government plans to speed things up.

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How far this will work isn’t clear. The High Court, experts said, will certainly consider the fact that the NHRC has moved a petition in the Supreme Court on the same matter. When contacted tonight, Bhat declined to comment. Said Jaitley: ‘‘They (the two ministers) met me only in passing.’’

Incidentally, in his reaction yesterday, Gujarat government spokesman and Health Minister I K Jadeja had said: ‘‘The government is studying the Best Bakery verdict.’’

Meanwhile, in Coimbatore, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi declined to comment on the NHRC petition. ‘‘These are supreme and democratic institutions and I like to respect all these institutions,’’ he said. When asked about the victims alleging that they cannot expect a fair trial in his state, he said: ‘‘I am sure the Chief Minister is not conducting the trial and it is not CM’s job.’’

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