By TwoCircles.net Special Correspondent,
Ahmedabad: More than 40 human rights activists from across India, have strongly condemned the alleged “motivated and malicious’’ campaign against the rights activists and the lawyers fighting for the victims of 2002 anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat.
“Patently false allegations of doctoring evidence, are being orchestrated at a crucial time when the trials in the heinous cases, are nearing completion and the accused, among whom are powerful politicians and policemen, face charges of criminal conspiracy and murder,” read the statement of the activists.
Teesta Setalvad
The activists said, that the allegations of doctoring evidence against Teesta Setalvad, and filing an application before the Bar Council of Gujarat (BCG), seeking cancellation of practicing licenses of advocates-Mukul Sinha, Suhel Tirmizi, Shamshad, Pathan, Amrish Patel and S H Iyer- through Naroda-Patia mass carnage accused Premchand Tiwari was “highly condemnable.”
Tiwari, in his application to BCG, alleged that the above mentioned advocates were responsible for filing a false affidavit without the knowledge of a witness Dildar Saiyed. According to Tiwari, Saiyed, during his cross-examination, did not mention certain points that had been mentioned in his affidavit filed in the Gujarat High Court last year, seeking cancellation of anticipatory bail granted to former minister Maya Kodnani and VHP leader Jaideep Patel.
Reacting to Tiwari approaching BCG, Sinha said that it was a conspiracy by a group of Naroda-Patia accused, their lawyers and politicians of the ruling party, which wanted to harass advocates and human rights activists by registering false cases against them so that no advocate or activists could come forward to help the victims.
“Tiwari is being used as a tool by the ruling party politicians,” alleged Sinha, saying that, “I sincerely hope that BCG does not get dragged into the issue.” Most of the BCG office-bearers are reported to be close to BJP.
Former BJP chief minister Suresh Mehta described the developments as tactics to intimidate the advocates and human rights activists. “It is very shameful and condemnable,” remarked Mehta, who quit BJP because of differences with the present Chief Minister, Narendra Modi.