The Hindu : National : Nanavati panel objects to Government stand

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Thursday, Mar 30, 2006

National

National

Nanavati panel objects to Government stand

Manas Dasgupta

AHMEDABAD: The G.T. Nanavati and K.G. Shah judicial inquiry commission probing the Godhra train fire incident and the post-Godhra riots in Gujarat has taken exception to the Central Government's refusal to submit a copy of the letter written by the former President, K.R. Narayanan, to the then Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on the Gujarat riots.

The Commission has also decided to issue summons to the Railway Board for submitting all the documents and records of the U.C. Bannerjee Commission, which has completed its inquiry into the incident and submitted its report.

The Commission in its order on Wednesday said it would be "free to draw its own inference" on Mr. Narayanan's letter and felt the Government's refusal was "unreasonable." The Commission also pointed out that despite repeated reminders the Centre had failed to spell out how the revelation of the document would affect the internal security of the country or the public interest.

The issue of Mr. Narayanan's letter was raised before the Commission by Mukul Sinha, advocate for the Jansangharsha Manch which was fighting the cases on behalf of the riot victims. The Manch had demanded a copy of the letter in which the former President had reportedly advised the then Prime Minister to call out the Army in the riot-affected areas to bring the situation under control. The Commission's next sitting has been fixed for April 5 when Dr. Sinha was expected to submit a list of the witnesses he wanted to cross examine.

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