The Hindu : National : Temple priest held in Gujarat riots case

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 13, 2006
ePaper

National

National

Temple priest held in Gujarat riots case

Special Correspondent

Was allegedly involved in setting fire to a restaurant

AHMEDABAD: Ten persons, including a temple chief priest and his son, were arrested by the Vadodara police on Tuesday for their alleged involvement in setting fire to a restaurant during the post-Godhra communal riots in Gujarat.

The arrest of the 75-year-old mahant of the Hanuman temple in Harni locality sparked off a wave of protests among the people but intervention by the police defused the tension.

The fire was one of the over 2,000 riot-related cases, closed down for want of evidence and reopened at the behest of the Supreme Court. During the previous investigation, neither was any arrest made nor was the mahant, who enjoys a large following among the local people, implicated. The Congress Legislature Party, which met in Gandhinagar on Tuesday to chalk out the party's strategy for the two-day Assembly session on September 18 and 19, decided to attack the Narendra Modi Government for its alleged failure to tackle the recent floods in the State.

The Supreme Court's stand on the riot-related cases, which the Congress believes has lowered the prestige of the State in the eyes of the highest judicial body, could also figure in the House.

Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Arjun Modhvadia said his party had submitted a petition to Governor Nawal Kishore Sharma, requesting him to use his good offices to prevail upon the Modi Government to extend the session to at least 15 days to discuss important issues, including the flood havoc.

A two-day session was a mockery of a democracy, as the Government did not want to give any opportunity to the Opposition to discuss pressing issues, he said. If the Government refused to extend the session, his party would convene a "people's Assembly".

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National