New Socialist Movement

An NGO today came out with its own report on the burning of the Sabarmati Express in 2002 and claimed that the incident was "not a pre-planned conspiracy", contradicting findings of the Nanavati Commission that inquired into the case.

The S6 coach of the train burned due to flash fire that followed an initial ignition, the Jan Shangarsh Manch (JSM) said in it report contradicting the commission’s findings tabled in the Gujarat Assembly.

A copy of the report titled "On the Right Track to Godhra" was circulated by the head of JSM and senior advocate in the Gujarat High Court, Mukul Sinha.

"We have been involved in the proceedings of the Nanavati Commission since over six years and have remained present while the statements of witnesses were recorded," Sinha said.

"Our report is based on evidence placed and statements of witnesses, deposed before the Commission. We find that there was no pre-planned conspiracy in the whole incident," he said.

"We are going to submit this report to the Governor, President and the Prime Minister," Sinha added.

The first part of the Nanavati Commission was tabled in the State Assembly yesterday amid stiff opposition from the Congress party.

The Commission in its report has concluded that burning of S6 coach in February 2002 near Godhra railway station was a "pre-planned conspiracy and not an accident" and gave a clean chit to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and his ministers regarding the incident.

Sinha, while commenting on the first part of the Nanavati Commissions report said it was in line with the theory floated by the government when the Godhra train burning incident occurred in 2002. "The government, from the day one of the incident, has been claiming that there was some terrorist conspiracy behind it. This tone set by the government is reflected in the Commission’s report," Sinha said.

He alleged that some of the statements of important witnesses, police officers and forensic experts have been "manipulated" in the Commission’s report "to keep it in line with the government’s view".

Sinha said the Commission’s report has used the opinion given by the forensic expert and "used it as an evidence to prove that the fire was lit from the inside".

The JSM report claimed that no inflammable substance was used in the incident that killed 59 people, while Nanavati Commission’s report said 140 litres of petrol was used to douse the compartment before lighting it.

The NGO report further said in the first three charge-sheets prepared by police do not mention that such huge amount of petrol was purchased.

Sinha also said some of the witnesses were "tortured" by the police to give false statements. And when JSM approached the Commission with an application asking for protection, it had rejected the plea.

According to Sinha, the Commission "completely ignored the fact that abduction attempts was made on one girl, even after the girl in person deposed before Commission". "The said girl had deposed before the Commission and narrated the incident, however this part is not reflected in the report, which says that abduction of the girl was a rumour floated as part of the conspiracy," Sinha said.

He claimed that there are many "contradictions" within the Nanavati Commission’s report itself, which need to be highlighted and our report "is an attempt to bring out the facts before the people who deserve to know the truth".

Justice (retd) G T Nanavati and Justice (retd) Akshay Mehta of the commission had submitted the first part of their report covering their findings on the burning of S6 coach of Sabarmati Express near Godhra Railway Station in February 2002 to the State government last week. (Agencies)

(Source)