The Hindu : National : BJP takes exception to Godhra probe

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Thursday, Sep 09, 2004

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National

BJP takes exception to Godhra probe

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, SEPT. 8. The Bharatiya Janata Party has taken exception to the ordering of a "malevolent inquiry" into the torching of KK<149>ar SS<149>evaks in a train in Godhra, with a perverse motive to prove that the victims themselves set the train on fire in a conspiracy to later incite riots elsewhere in Gujarat."

The BJP's national-level office-bearers discussed the issue with other issues here today. "Never in the history of independent India has there been a g<149>overnment at the Centre like this one, which, even though its responsibility is to promote national ideals, seems bent on doing quite the opposite," meeting said.

Later at a news conference, the BJP spokesperson, Arun Jaitley, in reply to a question, said the Supreme Court transferring the Godhra riot case outside Gujarat was not a reflection on the administration of justice in Gujarat. The courts had also ordered the transfer of cases pertaining to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, outside Tamil Nadu and that was not a reflection on the courts there. "If the courts feel that the cases have to be transferred to some other State, it is final and that verdict is accepted by all," he said.

Tiranga yy<149>atra

Following the "success" of the Bangalore satyagraha (seeking the release of the former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Uma Bharti, from judicial custody in the 1994 Idgah maidan case), the party's national leadership entrusted the president of its State <149>unit, H.N. Ananth Kumar, MP, the task of organising the Tiranga yy<149>atra of Ms. Bharti from Hubli to Jallianwala Bagh in Punjab.

The yatra from September 10 to 25 will traverse through <149>Karnataka (for two days), Maharashtra (five days), Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab. It will conclude at Jallianwala Bagh on September 25, the day when the party will celebrate the birth anniversary of the president of the erstwhile Bharatiya Jan Sangh, Deendayal Upadhyay.

After September 25, the BJP leadership will honour Ms. Bharti in Delhi for her role in "rejuvenating the party cadre" through her sacrifice (s<149>he resigned from the post of Chief Minister).<149> Subsequently, the party will be focussing its energies on the Assembly elections in Maharashtra.

Mr. Jaitley said there were several issues operating against the coalition g<149>overnment in Maharashtra. "It has been a non-performing Government." On the BJP making the "Bharti episode" an issue in the elections, Mr. Jaitley said that no single issue could dominate any election and there would be a number of factors, including the fake stamp paper scam.

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