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Gujarat HC raps Modi govt for 'inaction' during post-Godhra riots

Ahmedabad: In a major blow to the Narendra Modi government, the Gujarat High Court today censured it for "inaction and negligence" during the 2002 post-Godhra riots, holding that this had resulted in an "anarchic" situation.

Passing strictures against the state government, the court said, "Gujarat government's inadequate response and inaction (to contain the riots) resulted in an anarchic situation which continued unabated for days on".

A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J. B. Pardiwala made these observations, while ordering compensation for over 500 religious structures damaged in the state during that period.

"The state cannot shirk from its responsibilities," the court observed while noting that there has also been "negligence" on the part of the government. "Because of this (such inaction and negligence) there was large-scale destruction of religious properties".

The government was responsible for repair and compensation of such places, it further said.

The court said when the government had paid compensation for destruction of houses and commercial establishments, it should also pay compensation for religious structures.

The court also ordered that principal judges of 26 districts of the state will receive the applications for compensation of religious structures in their respective districts and decide on it. They have been asked to send their decisions to the high court within six months.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Islamic Relief Committee of Gujarat (IRCG).

Over 1,200 persons were killed in the post-Godhra riots that had left a trail of destruction in several parts of the state. — PTI

Porn row: Three BJP ministers resign

Bangalore: Caught on camera watching a sleazy video in the Karnataka Assembly, three BJP ministers resigned today on orders from an embarrassed party leadership.

A red-faced BJP went into a damage control mode asking Minister for Cooperation Laxman Savadi and Minister for Women and Child Development C. C. Patil, to quit, while Minister for Ports, Science and Technology, Krishna Palemar was axed for allegedly providing the blue film to them.

Savadi and Patil were caught on camera yesterday while they were viewing the porn video footage inside the state Assembly during the proceedings, an incident that battered the image of the Sadananda Gowda government and the BJP, evoking widespread condemnation across the state.

"We don't want the party and the government to face further embarrassment. All of us have decided to resign. We have handed over our resignation letters to Chief Minister with a request to accept it," Savadi, Patil and Palemar told reporters.

The direction to the ministers to quit came after the BJP summoned the trio and told them to put in their papers at a meeting attended by top leaders, including Gowda, state BJP president K. S. Eswarappa and former Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa.

The meeting took place close on the heels of BJP president Nitin Gadkari speaking to Gowda and Eswarappa and directing them to initiate action against the three ministers, party sources said.

The scandal rocked the Karnataka Assembly where the opposition Congress and JDS members sought suspension and disqualification of the three former ministers involved in the episode from the House and their immediate arrest.

As soon as the Assembly met, the Chief Minister informed the members about the resignations of the three ministers which have been accepted by Governor H. R. Bhardwaj.

Savadi said they would request Assembly Speaker K. G. Bopiah to institute an inquiry into the incident, asserting that they had done no wrong. — PTI

Ashwin, Jadeja guide India to victory

Thanks to sensible batting by Ravichandran Ashwin (30 not out) and Ravindra Jadeja (24 not out), India beat Sri Lanka by four wickets in the second match of the triangular series at the WACA in Perth on Wednesday.

Earlier, India recovered from initial sloppiness with a tidy bowling show and impressive fielding as they restricted Sri Lanka to 233 for eight in the allotted 50 overs.

Indian spinners Jadeja (1/41) and Ashwin (3/32) squeezed the runs dry while returning left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan was brilliant upfront with two crucial wickets after Sri Lanka elected to bat at the WACA Ground.

Zaheer began with the scalp of opener Upul Tharanga (4) in his second over and then returned midway to send back Kumar Sangakkara (26) to finish with two for 44 from his allotted 10 overs.

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni also put up an impeccable show, having a hand in two stumpings and a run-out, besides a catch.

Sri Lanka had things in control when Tillakaratne Dilshan (48) and Kumar Sangakkara (26) put on 62 runs for the second wicket. Apparently, a platform had been laid and Sri Lanka were eyeing a total in excess of 250 runs.

But it all changed when Sangakkara departed, caught brilliantly by Dhoni, diving to his left, off Zaheer who returned for his second spell in the 17th over.

India then wrested back control, conceding at one stage only 44 runs from 15 overs. The bowling powerplay, which India took in the 16th over, cost only 11 runs for a wicket.

Ashwin began with a maiden over but then was held back for final overs. Dhoni pressed on with Praveen Kumar and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja and the two squeezed the runs dry. PTI