NANAVATI-MEHTA COMMISSION URGED TO SUMMON MODI

Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM) on May 20 vehemently argued before the Nanavati-Mehta Commission praying that Chief Minister Narendra Modi and his ministers in 2002 be summoned for cross examination in heinous communal riots cases of 2002. The commission was hearing a petition of the Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM) represented by Advocate Mukul Sinha. The Commission, however, fixed June 22 as the next date of hearing on request from government advocate T T Nanavati, who submitted that the state government wanted Advocate General Kamal Trivedi, currently on foreign trip, to plead in the matter. In his submissions before the Commission, Advocate Mukul Sinha pointed out that the Commission was empowered to summon Chief Minister Narendra Modi, his former ministers and senior IAS and IPS officers to probe their role and conduct in 2002 communal riots as per the terms of reference of the Commission. In his written submissions, Sinha contended that the scope of terms of reference of the Commission was enlarged on July 20, 2004, following demands for inquiry into the role and conduct of chief minister and his ministers in public interest. Pointing out that it would defeat the very purpose of the amendment of the terms of reference of the commission if Modi and his ministers, particularly the then minister of state for home Gordhan Zadaphia and the then Health Minister Ashok Bhatt (now assembly speaker), were not summoned for cross examination.