BJP hails move,Cong concerned

Gujarat BJP president Purshottam Rupala said,It has shown faith in the Government of Gujarat by not transferring the cases outside the state. This is a slap on the face of those who were against Gujarat.

Another BJP spokesperson,Ravi Shankar Prasad,added: We are happy that the Supreme Court has taken a correct decision but do not forget that many convictions have taken place in Gujarat in the cases investigated by the police. People also rake up the issue of Gujarat riots before elections but deliberately ignore the Godhra carnage.

NEW DELHI: Reacting over the Supreme Court order on Friday to set up fast-track courts for trial of post-Godhra riot cases in Gujarat,Congress leader Veerappa Moily raised apprehensions over free and fair trail in the Narendra Modi-ruled state and hoped that the Gujarat High Court would address the concerns.

Talking to The Indian Express,Moily charged that Gujarat under Modi has a history of not allowing free and fair trial to take place. Modi is quite revengeful. He is capable of misusing his office and thereby we hope the Gujarat High Court will monitor the trial of the post-Godhra riot cases to ensure free and fair trial, Moily said.

He said his apprehensions were not unfounded as the apex court itself had asked the Special Investigating Team SIT to probe the role of the Gujarat Chief Minister,his Cabinet colleagues and some officers. He said past records had it that incidents of arson and riot had not been registered and in a few cases where they had been registered witnesses had been pressurised by the Government to turn hostile.

With such a history its a challenge before the judiciary to ensure free and fair trial in the state, Moily pointed out.