Guj riots: Modi questioned by SIT for five hours

Gandhinagar, Mar 27 (PTI) Chief Minister Narendra Modi
was on Saturday questioned for five hours by the Supreme Court
of India-appointed SIT on his alleged role in the Gujarat
riots, the first time he was being probed since the carnage
eight years back.
The questioning which lasted for five-and-a-half-hours
remained inconclusive and will resume in the night.
"I am taking a break from questioning" a smiling
59-year-old Bhartiya Janata Party leader told reporters
putting up a brave face, as he emerged out of the Special
Investigation Team (SIT) office at the old state secretariat
building here.
Modi said he will try to come back around 9 pm.
SIT Chief R K Raghavan was not present at his office
when Modi appeared in response to the panel's summons. The
SIT's second-in-command A K Malhotra and a former Central
Bureau of Investigation DIG questioned the chief minister.
Modi suffered the ignominy of being the first-ever
chief minister of any state to be questioned in a criminal
complaint of mass murder after he and his administration were
accused of aiding and abetting riots in one area in Ahmedabad.
Ending the suspense as to where and when he would appear
after he was summoned for questioning in connection with a
complaint of Zakia Jaffery, widow of former Congress MP Eshan
Jaffery, Modi reached the SIT office around noon.
Jaffery was killed in the 2002 riots in Ahmedabad's
Gulbarg society in the western Indian state along with 69
others.
The complaint among other things alleged there was a
wider conspiracy by Modi and his administration and that he
had instructed officers not to take action.
"My appearance here is a 'kara jawab' (fitting reply)
to my detractors. I have given a resounding reply to those who
doubted my intentions. I hope such talks by vested
interests will stop," Modi said.
Modi injected some humour in his interaction with
waiting reporters saying he has come to give them "some
masala". When asked whether he was given tea, he tried to
impress the media corps saying he had made arrangements for
beverages to be served to them.
He also said that he wanted to given some time to SIT to
do some "homework" before the resumption of questioning.
Attempting to take a high moral ground, Modi said the
SIT probe is impartial and does not have any Gujarat officer.
Modi claimed he had anwsered all questions put by SIT
and that he would prefer questioning to end in one day.
"Vistak se batcheet ki (we spoke in detail)," he said
adding, "In Indian constitution, law is supreme. As a common
man, CM, I am bound by the Indian constitution and law."
Modi said he had received a letter from SIT asking him
to "meet" the panel on March 27.
The chief minister said he wants to fully cooperate with
the SIT.
"I have given them my date and let them (or us) make
full use of it," he said.
"SIT was created by Supreme Court. SIT investigators
who questioned me, in whole no Gujarat officers are there.
They are selected by Supreme Court...," he added.
Elaborate security arrangements were made at the SIT
office for the deposition of the chief minister where a large
crew of media persons had assembled since morning.
Clad in a crisp white kurta and pyjama, Modi greeted
the waiting media persons with folded hands after alighting
from his car before proceeding to the SIT building.
The BJP stood strongly behind Modi hailing his
deposition as a political victory and one deserving the
highest commendation.
"By appearing before SIT, Gujarat Chief Minister
Narendra Modi has demolished all mischievous speculation and
scored a political victory. BJP has great faith in the chief
minister of Gujarat. This graceful action vindicates the BJP
stand that the chief minister of Gujarat has the highest
respect for law of the land," party spokesman Rajiv Pratap
Rudy said.
"The dignified action deserves the highest commendation
and millions of BJP workers repose highest faith in his
leadership," he added.
Newly-appointed BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman
denied suggestions that Modi's appearance before the probe
panel was an embarrassment for the party.
Social activist and a Modi baiter Teesta Setalvald
said," Today is an important day for democracy and rule of law
when a sitting chief minister has been forced to appear before
an inquiry team after various attempts to block justice."
Gujarat Government Spokesman Jai Narayan Vyas dismissed
suggestions of a setback to Modi following his appearance
before SIT.
"We have always said that he will abide by rule of law
but much hype is being made. There is no setback as far as BJP
government or Modi is concerned. Mr Modi is cooperating," he
said.
Modi's appearance before SIT assumes significance as he
is a serving chief minister who is being questioned before any
authority in connection with the 2002 riots.
Saturday's event was preceded by drama after Modi
refused to appear on March 21 calling as false claim that the
SIT had fixed that day for questioning him in connection with
the 2002 riots. PTI PB
KAB