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32 People Convicted for Roles in Gujarat Riots 32 People Convicted for Roles in Gujarat Riots
(about 3 hours later)
NEW DELHI — A former state education minister and 31 others were convicted on Wednesday for their roles in the deaths of 94 people during one of the most savage attacks of the 2002 Gujarat riots.NEW DELHI — A former state education minister and 31 others were convicted on Wednesday for their roles in the deaths of 94 people during one of the most savage attacks of the 2002 Gujarat riots.
The charges against the defendants include murder, rioting and conspiracy, and can carry the death penalty. Sentencing may occur as soon as Thursday. The charges included murder, rioting and conspiracy, and they can carry the death penalty. Sentencing may occur as soon as Thursday.
The convictions could also have political consequences. Narendra Modi, Gujarat’s chief minister and a possible candidate for prime minister for the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2014, has long denied any role in the riots, despite testimony from witnesses who say he discouraged the police from intervening. He was not charged in the case, but one of the convicted defendants -- Mayaben Kodnani, a state legislator and former state education minister, is among Mr. Modi’s confidants. Cellphone records demonstrated that Ms. Kodnani was at the scene of the riot, contradicting her own testimony. The convictions could also have political consequences. Narendra Modi, Gujarat’s chief minister and a possible candidate for prime minister for the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2014, has long denied any role in the riots, despite testimony from witnesses who say he discouraged the police from intervening. He was not charged in the case, but one of the convicted defendants — Mayaben Kodnani, a state legislator and a former state education minister — is among Mr. Modi’s confidants. Cellphone records demonstrated that Ms. Kodnani was at the scene of the riots, contradicting her own testimony.
“This is the first Gujarat riot case which has links to the political conspiracy,” said Teesta Setalvad, a victim’s advocate who has played crucial roles in many of the Gujarat cases. “I salute the decade-long fight by victims and witnesses.” “This is the first Gujarat riot case which has links to the political conspiracy,” said Teesta Setalvad, an advocate for victims who has played crucial roles in many of the Gujarat cases. “I salute the decade-long fight by victims and witnesses.”
Jaynarayan Vyas, a cabinet minister for the Gujarat government, sought to distance the administration from Ms. Kodnani’s actions, saying that she did not becoame the state education minister until after the riots. “Until we read the full judgment, we will not give our opinion,” he said. Prakash Javadekar, a spokesman for the Bharatiya Janata Party, said: “This is the judicial process. Whosoever is the culprit will be punished by the court. It is the first stage of judgment. This is a legal process.” Jay Narayan Vyas, a cabinet minister for the Gujarat government, sought to distance the administration from Ms. Kodnani’s actions, saying that she did not become the state education minister until after the riots. “Until we read the full judgment, we will not give our opinion,” he said. Prakash Javadekar, a spokesman for the Bharatiya Janata Party, said: “This is the judicial process. Whosoever is the culprit will be punished by the court. It is the first stage of judgment. This is a legal process.”
A total of 327 witnesses testified in the case, and prosecutors presented 2,005 documents. Sixty-seven people were charged, of whom 32 were convicted and 29 acquitted; six defendants died during the proceedings. A total of 327 witnesses testified in the case, and prosecutors presented 2,005 documents. Sixty-seven people were charged, of whom 32 were convicted and 29 were acquitted. Six defendants died during the proceedings.
“More than 90 defenseless persons, mostly women and children of a minority community, were killed,” said Akhil Desai, the prosecutor on the case. Referring to the convicted defendants, he said, “I pleaded with the court to give them the maximum punishment of a death sentence.” “More than 90 defenseless persons, mostly women and children of a minority community, were killed,” said Akhil Desai, the prosecutor in the case. Referring to the convicted defendants, he said, “I pleaded with the court to give them the maximum punishment of a death sentence.”
The violence at the center of the case took place on the morning of Feb. 28, 2002, when rioters broke through the stone walls encircling the Muslim neighborhood of Naroda Patiya and attacked families eating breakfast. They threw children and old women into burning pyres and knifed and bludgeoned others. Some people who tried to escape the violence said that the police refused to help. The violence at the center of the case took place on the morning of Feb. 28, 2002, when rioters broke through the stone walls encircling the Muslim neighborhood of Naroda Patiya, on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, and attacked families eating breakfast. They threw children and old women into burning pyres and stabbed and bludgeoned others. Some people who tried to escape the violence said that the police refused to help.
The day before the attack, a train filled with Hindu pilgrims was attacked by a Muslim mob in the nearby city of Godhra. A fire started, and at least 58 Hindu pilgrims were burned to death. In response, Mr. Modi and his party endorsed a strike, and the charred bodies of the pilgrims were taken to Ahmedabad and laid out in public, where thousands viewed them — an act almost guaranteed to incite retaliatory violence. Assaults and massacres began almost immediately. The day before the attack, a train filled with Hindu pilgrims was attacked by a Muslim mob in the nearby city of Godhra. A fire started, and at least 58 Hindus were burned to death. In response, Mr. Modi and his party endorsed a strike, and the charred bodies of the pilgrims were taken to Ahmedabad and laid out in public, where thousands viewed them — an act almost guaranteed to incite retaliatory violence. Assaults and massacres began almost immediately.
Little was done to prosecute the rioters until 2004, when the Supreme Court ordered the creation of a special police team and the transfer of some trials out of Gujarat. Another crucial turning point came when a top police official gave Dr. Mukul Sinha, a lawyer representing victims, the records of every cellphone call made during the worst of the rioting. Little was done to prosecute the rioters until 2004, when the Supreme Court ordered the creation of a special police team and the transfer of some trials out of Gujarat. Another crucial turning point came when a top police official gave Mukul Sinha, a lawyer representing victims, the records of every cellphone call made during the worst of the rioting.
The court decision on Wednesday, Mr. Sinha said in an interview, “gives us a lot of satisfaction because Naroda Patiya was the biggest massacre during the riots.”The court decision on Wednesday, Mr. Sinha said in an interview, “gives us a lot of satisfaction because Naroda Patiya was the biggest massacre during the riots.”
Many political analysts believe that blanket coverage of the riots by India’s newly vibrant TV news channels and the unprecedented scope of the prosecutions may have helped to snap the country’s long history of mass rioting. Many political analysts believe that blanket coverage of the riots by India’s newly vibrant television news channels and the unprecedented scope of the prosecutions may have helped to snap the country’s long history of mass rioting.
Noor Bano, a former Naroda Patiya resident whose two teenage sons were seriously injured during the attacks, vowed in an interview to continue fighting for justice. “They killed our people, so they should also be given death sentences,“ Ms. Bano said. Noor Bano, a former Naroda Patiya resident whose two teenage sons were seriously injured during the attacks, vowed in an interview to continue fighting for justice. “They killed our people, so they should also be given death sentences,” Ms. Bano said.