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BJP praises Kodnani’s resignation

Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday refused to comment on the Gujarat High Court order cancelling the anticipatory bail given by a lower court to Maya Kodnani, accused in the Naroda Patiya mass murder case during the Gujarat 2002 riots.

The party, however, praised her prompt resignation from the ministerial position in the Gujarat government.

In response to a volley of questions, party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar pointed out that her resignation and “surrender before the law” established her as a law abiding citizen.

Asked about her continuation in the government for seven years after the riots and the BJP’s stand against criminalisation of politics, he said: “Earlier she was acquitted of the charges by a court.”

To a question whether the Gujarat police did a shoddy job of investigation to help her to get acquittal, he said: “Several cases from Gujarat were shifted out.”

He was forced to admit that her resignation and surrender took place as a result of the work done by the Special Investigation Team set up by the Supreme Court and not because of some high moral stand taken by her or the BJP.

“Was her resignation and arrest not the result of the work done by the SIT set up by the Supreme Court?”

Mr. Javadekar nodded in agreement.

Party leaders here seemed to be concerned that the development took place on the first day of ‘navratri’ ahead of the festival of Ram Navmi and on the day the party election campaign opened officially with election rallies in several places, including one in Gandhinagar.

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