New Delhi, June 28
The ‘Moditva politics’ in Gujarat has completed its full circle. It began after the Godhra carnage and the acquittal of all 21 accused in the Best Bakery case shattered the hopes that justice would be done.
Reacting to the court verdict, political parties and human rights organisations blamed the state government and the prosecuting agency for the ‘shoddy’ investigations leading to the acquittal of all accused charged with the murder of 14
persons at Best Bakery.
Human rights organisation, PUCL vice-president N.P. Pancholi said, “It is a mockery of justice. The prosecution failed to gather sufficient evidence due to which the case fell in the court.”
“It was evident from the beginning that the police did not pursue investigations as should have been done,” he said
Acquitting the 21 accused, Additional District and Sessions Judge of the fast-track court, Mr H.U. Mahida, observed that it was proved beyond doubt that a violent mob had killed 14 persons on March 1 last year and resorted to arson as well as loot.
There was no legally acceptable evidence to prove that any of the accused presented in the court had committed the crime, the Judge said.
Stating that the verdict was “perversion of justice in Gujarat,” the CPI(M) said the conduct of the case by “the prosecution and the state was a graphic illustration of how justice was denied to the victims of crimes committed in that period.”
“It shows the Modi government’s connivance with those who perpetrated the crisis. The trial of the accused was marked by intimidation of witnesses, blatant negligence by the police and shoddy prosecution by the state authorities,” it said, demanding appropriate legal steps to appeal against the judgement.
Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh said “The verdict in the Best Bakery case has completed the full circle of the Modi brand of politics. If this is the cost to be in power, we are not ready for it.”
The BJP said the court verdict must be accepted. Party spokesperson Vijay Kumar Malhotra said, “What happened in Gujarat was wrong, but the court has decided on the basis of evidence and we must accept its verdict.”
