Gujarat riots: 'SC verdict a temporary relief for Modi'

The Supreme Court on Monday directed a trial court to hear a petition by Zakia Jafri, widow of former member of Parliament Ehsan Jafri, who was killed in the Gulbarg society carnage during the 2002 riots, against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Reacting to the verdict, Modi tweeted, "God is great."

In response to the apex court's order, Arjun Modhwadia, president, Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee said, "The judgment is still awaited in the case. We cannot comment on the ongoing case."

Insisting on waiting till the judgment comes out, he added, "Referring the case back to the concerned Ahmedabad magistrate to decide the further course of action is simply a part of the procedure."

Reacting to the CM's comment on Twitter, he added, "The verdict can neither be considered as defeat nor victory."

Political analyst Dinesh Shukla said that this is a temporary relief for Modi and other 62 accused, as the case is now in the trial court. "From now on, the case against Modi will go from trial court to session court, then it will go to high court and ultimately will go to the Supreme Court," he said.

No evidence of criminal conspiracy by Modi: Gujarat government

However, the Gujarat government in its first official reaction to the SC verdict said due process of law has been completed and that there is no evidence of criminal conspiracy by Modi.

Addressing newsmen in Gandhinagar, Jay Narayan Vyas, Gujarat health and tourism minister and spokesperson of the Gujarat government said, "The United Progressive Alliance government aimed at destabilising the working of the administrative mechanism of the state by filing FIRs against the CM and other officials. There were efforts to allege the special investigation team as well. Despite of all this, the SC has denied registering a new FIR and once again has shown its trust in SIT and its investigations."

"In the end, what is true will be known. The truth always appears eventually, despite all efforts to hide it."

The Supreme Court pronounced its verdict on a petition alleging deliberate inaction on the part of the Gujarat CM at the time of the Gulbarga society carnage during the 2002 riots.

Thrity seven people were killed in Gulbarg socierty by a rampaging mob, which set the neighborhood on fire on February 28, 2002.

Monday's SC ruling is important for Modi, as it may hasten the process of his moving to national politics ahead of the next Lok Sabha polls. Moreover, with the Gujarat assembly elections coming up next year the order works in his favour.