By TCN News,
Varanasi: All India Secular Forum has welcomed the verdict of the Special Fast Track Court holding 31 accused guilty of murder of 33 innocent Muslims in 2002 Gujarat riots at Sardarpura village of Mehsana district.
“The verdict of the Fast Track Court is result of the hard work of activists and concerned citizens and lawyers, particularly Teesta Setalvad and Citizen for Justice and Peace, who persistently invoked the jurisdiction of the highest court of the land and could sustain the interest of the court in monitoring the cases for so many years and were able to bring out justice by constantly pursuing the matters in the courts. Without the monitoring by the Supreme Court justice seemed elusive to the victims of the carnage. The Gujarat Government lacked the will to create a conducive environment for making justice possible,” said the Forum in a statement.
The group, however, expressed its displeasure at the prosecution not persuading the court to accept the charge of conspiracy.
“However we sadly note that the prosecution was not able to persuade the court to accept the charge of conspiracy behind the incident. The elaborate planning and preparations with which the carnage in Gujarat seems to have been executed, particularly in the light of statements of Sanjiv Bhatt, rejection of charge of conspiracy does seem to be a setback to the victims and cause of justice,” said Dr. Mohammad Arif, Chairman, Centre for Harmony and Peace.
All India Secular Forum demanded that the verdict “needs to be appealed in higher courts to press the charge of conspiracy.”