- Sabarmati Express coach was burnt in Godhra, rioting broke out in the state after the death of 59 karsevaks.
- In 2014, retired Justice Nanavati and Justice Mehta submitted this report to the then Chief Minister Anandiben Patel.
- Five years later, this report was presented by Gujarat Minister of State for Home Pradeep Singh Jadeja to the Assembly
The Nanavati Commission of Inquiry report on the 2002 post-Godhra riots in Gujarat was tabled in the Assembly on Wednesday. Minister of State for Home Pradeep Singh Jadeja said in a press conference after presenting this report, “The Commission has given a clean chit to Chief Minister Narendra Modi and his three ministers during the riots. This proves that the allegations against him are false. This was a plot of the Congress and some non-governmental organizations to discredit Modi and the BJP. “59 karsevaks were killed in Godhrakand. After this, more than a thousand people were killed in the rioting in the state.
According to Gujarat minister Jadeja, the Commission has made these comments on the major questions and allegations related to the riots.
Was the post-Godhra riots provoked?
Commission: The box of Sabarmati Express in Godhra was burnt under a well thought-out conspiracy, but the subsequent riots in the state were not pre-planned or politically motivated.
What suspicious role did Modi and his ministers play?
Commission: Modi or his then ministers Ashok Bhatt, Bharat Barot and Haren Pandya had no role in these riots.
What was the role of the three leading officers?
Commission: Evidence has been found of the negative role of three officers RB Srikumar, Sanjeev Bhatt and Rahul Sharma in the riots.
Did Modi go to see the S6 coach to destroy evidence? Was it his personal visit?
Commission: The burned S6 coach of Sabarmati Express was kept in a yard after Godhrakand. Modi went there on an official visit and his motive was not to destroy evidence.
Did Modi instruct not to take action on the rioters?
Commission: Modi had called a meeting in CM House to take stock of the situation, but did not give instructions not to take action on the rioters.
The report of the Commission of Inquiry was published in two parts, the first part in 2009.
The first part of the Nanavati Commission report was tabled in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly in 2009. The report was related to the killing of 59 kar sevaks riding the Sabarmati Express. On February 27, 2002 in Godhra, a mob set fire to a coach of the Sabarmati Express from outside. These kar sevaks were in this coach. In 2014, retired Justice GT Nanavati and Justice Akshay Mehta submitted the second part of the investigation report of commission to the then Chief Minister Anandiben Patel. However, the state government did not present this report in the assembly. In September this year, the state government had told the Gujarat High Court in response to a PIL that the report would be tabled in the House in the next session of the assembly.