In between, Justice Shah died in March 2008 and was replaced in the … On 25 February, 1,700 people, a mix of pilgrims and karsevaks boarded the Sabarmati Express which was bound for Ahmedabad. [36][37], The Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Indian National Congress objected to the exoneration of the Gujarat government by the commission citing the timing of the report (with general elections months away) as evidence of unfairness. [19], In February 2002, thousands of devotees of Lord Rama (known as "Ramsevaks" or "Kar Sevaks") had gone from Gujarat to Ayodhya at the behest of the Vishva Hindu Parishad to take part in a ceremony called the Purnahuti Maha Yagna. West Bengal's Chief Secretary, Sourin Roy, said the detainee was a commander of the Muslim radical group Harkat-ul Jehad-e-Islami, who was allegedly attempting to enter Bangladesh. About Mehsana, the home district of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was then chief minister of Gujarat, the Commission observed, “The district was affected more by the Godhra incident…” Three from this district were burnt alive at the Godhra railway station and the police expected disturbance when the dead bodies of the train carnage victims arrived, it said. Nanavati And Mr. Justice Akshay H. Mehta, Detailed Report on the Godhra riots by the Concerned Citizens Tribunal, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Godhra_train_burning&oldid=998735721, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 6 January 2021, at 20:13. Furthermore, the fire got initiated from inside as a result there were very less burn marks on the outside of the coach below the windows. In its report on north Gujarat, The Nanavati Commission gave a clean chit to the police, BJP, VHP and Bajrang Dal and attributed the massacres in Mehsana and Sabarkantha districts of this region, to anger on account of the Godhra train burning incident of February 27, 2002. It ordered that the SIT would be the nodal agency for deciding about witness protection and also asked that it file supplementary charge sheets and that it may cancel the bail of the accused. [28] However, Shah's alleged closeness to Narendra Modi generated fierce criticism from the victims, human rights organisations, and political parties, and led to a demand for the appointment of a Supreme Court judge to the commission. There is material to show that the police had saved lives and properties of many persons by taking effective steps and also helped them in moving to safer places. ", "Hindu–Muslim Relations and the "War on Terror, Report By The Commission of Inquiry Consisting of Mr. Justice G.T. The puzzle remains - Frontline. There is no evidence to show any involvement of the Ministers or leaders of any political party in the incidents which happened in this district,” it said. [citation needed] On 17 March 2002, chief suspect Haji Bilal, a local town councillor and a Congress worker,[54] was captured by an anti-terrorist squad in Godhra. [70], In October 2017, accepting prosecution's contention that there was a conspiracy behind the incident, the Gujarat High Court commuted the death sentence of 11 convicts to life imprisonment, while upholding the earlier life sentence of 20 others. The CPI(M) said that the report reinforced communal prejudices. In September 2008, the Nanavati Commission submitted its report on the incident. Being Chief Minister of the province, he was required to handle aftermath of the gruesome event. There is no risk to anyone', Kargil ignored in first Ladakh tableau: chief of Hill Council, Hit by pandemic, IFFI’s virtual-physical format is main show this year, AMU to bury time capsule of its 100-year history on R-Day, At IIM Calcutta, it’s teachers versus Director over her powers, their role, Centre gives green light to underwater study to determine Ram Setu origins, Pakistan Zindabad: 11-hour police ordeal for family, friends over a game, Javadekar: People of different faiths for construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya, Sexual assault under POCSO needs skin to skin contact: Bombay HC, https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/08/1x1.png, here to join our channel (@indianexpress), Republic Day 2021 LIVE Updates: India gears up for subdued celebrations amid Covid; eyes on farmers' tractor march in Delhi, Farmers' Protest Live Updates: Those who are in power don't care about farmers, says Sharad Pawar, Varun Dhawan marries Natasha Dalal LIVE UPDATES: Kareena, Anushka, Katrina, Vicky congratulate newlyweds, Chennai Hyderabad Live Updates: 2 UK returnees to TN who tested positive with UK strain under hospital isolation, Check vaccine rumours; take penal action against those indulging in such acts: MHA tells states, LIVE: Maharashtra Governor has time to meet Kangana Ranaut, not you: Pawar tells farmers, Rajinikanth books Deepavali for Annaatthe, Kannada actor Jayashree Ramaiah dies by suicide, 'Brother to brother, shoulder to shoulder': Nepal climbers walk final steps together to K2 summit, 'Covid sucks': Man's generous tip for Colorado restaurant employees wins praise online, Sumit Nagal in Australia Open: No housekeeping, constant surveillance, Chelsea sack Frank Lampard as head coach, set to hire Thomas Tuchel next, Lack of transparency on covid vaccine goes against Centre’s draft science policy, Bernie Sanders called me: School teacher who knitted the viral mittens, Microsoft Surface Laptop Go review: The writer's laptop, Flamboyant and fearless: How Gill made the opening slot his own, WhatsApp treating Indian users differently, says Centre, 'I may be bald but...': The Rock shows off his 'hair skills', This Canadian company wants to hire ‘candyologists’ to taste-test candies, Army braves knee-deep snow to help woman, newborn reach home in Kashmir, wins praise, Eva Mendes reveals why she has taken a break from social media, No housekeeping, constant surveillance: Sumit Nagal in Australian Open quarantine, How the cow came to be debated in Constituent Assembly and why Article 48 was added to Constitution, Saving tax by investing in different insurance products under Section 80C, Asia Argento accuses The Fast and the Furious director Rob Cohen of sexual assault, Varun Dhawan-Natasha Dalal wedding: Everything we know so far, Comedian Munawar Faruqui case: Such people must not be spared, says MP HC judge, Parents must be aware of these evolving education trends, Gujarat: 82% vaccination target met on Day one as glitches in Co-WIN app mar drive in districts, HIV-AIDS surveillance in Ahmedabad dropped to nearly 50 per cent due to Covid: AMC, Wary of lowering standard to fast-track a vaccine, says Nobel Laureate, Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards, Statutory provisions on reporting (sexual offenses), This website follows the DNPA’s code of conduct.