Indian politicians get life term for involvement in Gujarat riots
Kodnani was sentenced to 28 years in prison, while the court has ordered that Bajrangi will remain in jail for the rest of his life.
Kodnani, who served as a minister in Gujarat’s Hindu nationalist state government from 2007-2009, was found guilty over the killing of 97 Muslims in the Naroda Patiya suburb of the city of Ahmedabad.
The violence was triggered by the deaths of nearly 60 Hindu pilgrims in a February 2002 train fire that was at first blamed on a mob.
Hindus hungry for revenge rampaged through Muslim neighbourhoods across Gujarat in an orgy of violence that marked some of India’s worst religious riots.
Human rights groups say more than 2,000 people, mainly Muslims, were hacked, beaten or burned to death.
COMMENTS (41)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1719660634-1/BeFunky-collage-nicole-(1)1719660634-1-405x300.webp "article")
1732276540-0/kim-(10)1732276540-0-165x106.webp "article")
1732274008-0/Ariana-Grande-and-Kristin-Chenoweth-(1)1732274008-0-165x106.webp "article")
1732273396-0/Copy-of-Untitled-(72)1732273396-0-270x192.webp "storm bert brings snow and heavy rain to northern uk")
1732269802-0/Copy-of-Untitled-(71)1732269802-0-270x192.webp "methanol poisoning kills six tourists in laos")
1732261957-1/Copy-of-Untitled-(66)1732261957-1-270x192.webp "lava flows towards blue lagoon resort as iceland volcano erupts again")
1732258132-0/BeFunk_§_]__-(26)1732258132-0.jpg "israeli strikes on lebanon kill 47 dozens injured")
wish we have a faster judicial system and a seperate one to deal with corruption....
@kaalchakra: Ostrich
Hurrah for the impartial and independent Indian judicial system. Now if Pakistan would emulate this example and show that its justice system is equally free and independent, and bring to justice those notorious mullah-gangsters who were responsible for the carnage of innocent men, women and children in Mumbai. By bringing to justice such figures as Hafiz Saeed, who was actually in the control room giving orders to the killers in Mumbai, Pakistan could demonstrate its sincerity in returning to the community of civilized nations. This could also, to some extent, mitigate the grief and suffering of those who lost their dear ones at the hands of killers from Pakistan such as Kasab and others. This could be the gentle touch to the fierce resentment against and opposition to the Pakistani cricket team's visit to India. Pakistan has lost many opportunities in the past to repair its relations with India which could be its future saviour by offering greater opportunities in trade, business and industry, and help the former wean away from its overt dependence on foreign aid and makes it look like a perennial holding the alms bowl for rich Western donours to offer it some coins. .
@kaalchakra:
No substance. Same old, same old.
Just read about 7 more Shias gunned down.
Old shame! Old shame!
@Ezaz: 216 vs 97
Nothing but tokenism. No substance. Same old, same old.
Good verdict! We must protect our Secular India at all costs!
Whereas in Pakistan, victims are jailed; even a 11 year old kid too; I fear, possibly the word Mercy is also banned in Pakistan..
I hope Pakistani judiciary will also take some bold steps by prosecuting the 2009 Gojra killers who nearly destroyed everything belonging to Christians including taking their lives.
The policy is simple, you commit a crime, you have to do the time.
Hindu or Muslim. India is fair to all peoples.
On the eve of Babary mosque incident an ex Minister leading a mob burnt six Hindos including women and children in Loralai Balochistan was not sent to jail for a single day.This is the difference between two states.
@Mirza: So mere being a rightwinger deserves a sentence! Wow! You sound like a typical narrow minded delusioned liberal!
@Hasan Mehmood: Welcome verdict but i doubt the communal tensions will come down for to many people that is their bread and butter.If the tensions come down the hard liners would starve .
@Prabhjyot Singh Madan: What i particularly like about the verdict is that some of the big fish had got there due normally it is the rank and file who get caught and the main instigators go scot free.
Not a single rightwing political leader is given these kinds of sentences in Pakistan. The terrorists have safe havens while the secular and liberals have terrorist bullets. My salaam to Indian justice system and fairness.
@observer: @pervaiz memon: @Ezaz: Ladies are not handed out death sentences now in the indian system. Baba bajrangi is sentenced for life.no life outside jail means a slow painful life better than instant death. At least the legal system is doing its work. Modi is next pervaiz, many of us hate him for his political inaction.observer, we should care more about India, gojra, is their problem. We have won a victory, modi can be pointed out next for appointing a minister in his cabinet who is now tainted. India will win , modi is not India, Gandhi was and still India. Damn the RSS and shiv sena. We will win because we have to do it for mother India. Jai hind, sat Sri akal, rab rakha
And only 14 days jail for Malik Ishaq??
@Ezaz: Vienna,August 31,2012 Charge against Ajmal Kasab was waging a war against India.Here is premeditated rioting case. Besides, the judgment takes into consideration of the global trend to limit death sentences.That is the reason imprisonment life long was given. It was a fair judicious decision. As human and an Indian I am proud of Judge Jyotsna Yagnik, a brahmin by caste, I am very proud of her.I am born brahmin agnostic,have Muslim friends with whom I live and eat. They live with me and share my food as well.If I can believe in as many gods as there are lives of all kinds including rats for worship in temples I have no problem making namaz on road with other passengers as I did in 1970 in transit in Afghanistan.We believe in religious pluralism as much as political pluralism. I am proud of Indian justice. It is still early to say more as I wait to study the entire text of the judgment. I appeal to the Editor of Express Tribune on line publish the text of the judgment when it is available so the Muslim readers know the kind of justice we are used to. Taravadu Taranga Trust for Media Monitoring TTTMM India --Kulamarva Balakrishna
@Mujhe hay hukm e azan:
But in Urdu we say 'Khuda ke haan dair hain andhair nahi'
Thus what you just said isn't correct .. reality is they have put them behind bars while in our society criminals are showered with rose petals, encouraged to hold public gatherings for short term political gains and are set free. If they punish these criminals its better for their own society and their future, if we don't its eating away the fabric and balance in our society.
@mujhe hay hukm.. lets see what you guys do in case of Mumbai. India is no Pakistan mate.
@Mujhe hay hukm e azan:
Justice delayed is justice denied
Absolutelly true. So, tell me when are the Gojra killers being sentenced?
Or, the butchers of East Pakistan, for that matter?
pervaiz memon : Better late than never
@Indi-Pop: Justice delayed is justice denied
On the other hand Hafiz Saeed is a rock star in Pak.
@Muslim:
Liberals have been demanding the same for the emirs of SSP and ASWJ, but the Pakistani judiciary has not responded.
Now, should liberals say, India Zindabad?
We Pakistanis should learn from our neighbors. Even though I don't agree with the sentences, I believe these two along with kasab should get death penalty. This is still better than Pakistan as Malik Ishaq even after killings hundreds of people is living a great life. People are so scared of him that he will be released again and spread hatred and kill more innocents.
Death penalty to Kasab but imprisonment to politicians?
Hope this conviction will act as a deterrent against any further attempt of misadventure in future!!!!!
One of those days when I feel proud to be an Indian and can tell our neighbours in Pakistan: JUSTICE is Served in India even if delayed. Our system churns slowly but grinds well.
Shame on PCO SC CJ !!!! always protecting his Family Crimes . . . ???
so much to learn from India
It is a just verdict.
The arson (if it was that) in the Sabarmati Express at Godhra was a heinous act. But the way to respond to that heinous act would have been to let the law handle it. For those who disagree and say that it was better to teach Muslims a lesson then and there since the law would have taken forever to find and punish the arsonists, I would only say that this verdict and sentencing proves you wrong.
Yes - it required single minded and heroic dedication of activists and their unstinted efforts for ten years, to force the law and judiciary to provide justice in this case. It would probably have required similar dedication and time from a set of activists to bring the arsonists to justice. But that would have been the correct way. And it would have been worth it. Rather than the horrific, cynical, base, inhuman, and unjustifiable actions of the people sentenced today, which were inflicted on helpless people who had nothing to do with the actual arsonists of Godhra.
It has been once again proved that actions (can) have consequences. I do not have a feeling of revenge against the people sentenced today. But I am happy and proud that the dedication of some of my co-citizens, and the judicial system of my country, have delivered closure to at least some of the reprehensible incidents of ten years ago.
For liberals, this news does not even deserve a comment!
...and Malik Ishaq (killer of hundreds of shia Muslims) is just detained for 14 days. WOW!!!
That's I call democracy and unbiased judiciary decision will shut the mouth of many who were beating drums about Indian Muslim treatment in India. With this decision, I am proud Indian today.
@Prabhjyot Singh Madan:
I agree. Better late than never. Should cool down communal tensions considerably.
Ajmal Kasab for Mumbai attack and Modani and Babu Bajranji for Gujrat riots convicted and in jail . Long live the Indian judicial system . Masterminds await to be bought to justice .
Great verdict. Welldone
good.