THE INDIAN Supreme Court has rejected hearing a case that links Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi to the 2002 riots.
“God is great,” Modi posted on his Twitter feed after the decision was announced.
More than 2,000 people, mostly Muslims, died in communal violence in 2002. The riots followed a fire on a train that killed dozens of people, mainly Hindu pilgrims. In March this year, 11 people were sentenced to death for starting the fire.
The top court ordered the case be passed on to a Gujarat tribunal, lowering its profile. It is still looking at other cases related to the riots.
The ruling party said the Supreme Court had not let Modi off the hook and that a guilty verdict was still possible in the lower court.
Relatives of victims had asked the court to prosecute Modi on charges that he colluded with the police to fan the violence.
“I am disappointed with the verdict,” said Zakia Jafri, the widow of a politician belonging to the Congress party, who was killed by rioters, along with dozens of neighbours. She vowed to keep fighting the case in court.
Yesterday’s ruling was welcomed by the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Polls show Modi to be the BJP’s most popular lawmaker and he enjoys the support of prominent businessmen.
