Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has drawn attention to a media interview of Amit Shah in which the Home Minister explained how activist Teesta Setalvad's non-profit "gave baseless information" to court and investigators on the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Ms Setalvad was taken into custody by the Gujarat Police's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) from Mumbai today, a day after the Supreme Court lashed out at those who had "kept the pot boiling" on the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Mr Shah said the Supreme Court judgment clearly mentioned Ms Setalvad's name.
"I have read the judgement very carefully. The judgement clearly mentions the name of Teesta Setalvad. The NGO that was run being run by her - I don't remember the name of the NGO - had given baseless information about the riots to the police," Mr Shah told news agency ANI.
About an hour after the activist was detained by the Gujarat ATS today, Mr Singh tweeted to draw attention to the Home Minister's interview.
"Home Minister Shri Amit Shah gives a comprehensive and clear picture on various aspects pertaining to 2002 Gujarat riots. Also, he successfully exposed the nefarious campaign which was unleashed against Shri Narendra Modi during his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister. Must watch," the Defence Minister tweeted.
HM Shri @AmitShah in his interview gives a comprehensive and clear picture on various aspects pertaining to 2002 Gujarat riots.
Also, he successfully exposed the nefarious campaign which was unleashed against Shri @narendramodi during his tenure as Gujarat CM. Must watch. https://t.co/vKG0TseZ8p
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 25, 2022A complaint filed by the Gujarat Police this morning against her cited the strongly-worded Supreme Court judgment that included allusions to Ms Setalvad's NGO which has worked extensively with the victims of the riots.
Ms Setalvad was a co-petitioner in the case that was dismissed by the Supreme Court on Friday that challenged PM Modi's exoneration. Zakia Jafri, wife of Congress MP Ehsan Jafri who was killed in the riots, was the main petitioner.
AdvertisementUpholding the clearance to PM Modi, then Chief Minister of the Gujarat, by a court-appointed Special Investigation Team or SIT, the Supreme Court said the case was "devoid of merits" and was filed "obviously, for ulterior design".
"All those involved in such abuse of process need to be in the dock and proceeded with in accordance with law," the judges said, surmising that Ms Jafri's appeal was filed under "dictation of someone", the Supreme Court said.
