BJP defends Modi, questions timing of SIT report

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday questioned the timing of the special investigation team (SIT) on Gujarat riots, even as senior leaders advocated a clean chit for Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the 2002 riots.

Speaking to reporters in the national capital, party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said the BJP was “concerned about the timing” of the report as it could “instigate some tension” in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

“We are concerned about the timing of releasing the report, specially in the light of Utar Pradesh elections that are on going, raises a lot of questions and we are anxious if it is going to lead to any, god forbid, unwarranted tension,” Sitharaman said.

“But we have not seen the report,” she said.

Senior party leaders however advocated a clean chit for Narendra Modi, who had been accused of abetting the riots along with others in a petition by Zakia Jafri, widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri who was killed in the riots.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley expressed confidence that Modi would come out clean, while party president Nitin Gadkari blamed the central government for “harassing” the Gujarat government.

“I believe Gujarat government will definitely come out of this, and the people will know the truth. The center should stop acting mischievously against Gujarat government,” Gadkari told reporters in Delhi.

Jaitley meanwhile said this was the third time Modi has been given a clean chit and the matter should be dropped now.

“The first probe was by Gujarat Police, then the Geeta Johri enquiry, that was also under Supreme Court, and the third by this SIT of Supreme Court.”

Gadkari in an interview to TV channel CNN-IBN also said that Modi was one of the contenders for the post of prime minister from BJP.

A day after the Supreme Court-appointed SIT probing the 2002 Gujarat riots filed its final report, petitioner Zakia Jafri Thursday threatened to file a protest plea.

A statement from Jafri and activist Teesta Setalvad said they have sought a copy of the report. They said if it is a closure report, a protest petition would be filed.