In a decision with far reaching repercussions, the Gujarat Government has approved the Supreme Court appointed Special Investigation Team’s (SIT) plea for seeking death penalty for former Minister of State Mayaben Kodnani in the Naroda Patiya massacre case.
Kodnani, then BJP MlA from Naroda, Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi and eight others were sentenced to life imprisonment by a Special Court in August last year for their role in the Naroda Patiya mayhem in 2002 when 98 people were killed during the bandh called by the VHP following the death of 58 kar sewaks in the Sabarmati Express inferno at Godhra on February 28.
The convicted have challenged the Special Court verdict in the High Court where the SIT would file its appeal in the next few days.
The State law Department has recently approved the SIT’s plea to enhance the punishment of the convicts to death sentence. A panel comprising three senior advocates have also been formed to prepare the appeal to be filed the High Court.
The State Government’s decision to give the nod to the SIT’s plea to seek death penalty for one of its former Minister has raised many eyebrows, as many observers believe it is a move to distance itself from the hardline VHP elements which had been critical of Chief Minister Narendra Modi for his alleged ‘straying away’ from the Hindutva cause.
The VHP and Bajrang Dal in the State had vehemently criticised Modi for having failed to protect Kodnani, Babu Bajrangi and other accused in the Naroda Patiya case.
Father Cedric Prakash of Prashant Centre for Human Rights Justice and Peace described the move as a ‘sheer gimmick’ designed to divert attention from important issues.
“The ruse now is to deflect from the protest petition filed by Zakia Jafri which definitely names people and the events during the carnage”, Father Cedric Prakash said in a statement on Wednesday evening.
“One wonders if the ‘death penalty’ threat is to prevent Kodnani and others from singing about their more powerful mentors IJ” Father Cedric Prakash said.