Former CBI special director Rakesh Asthana has formally rejected a passage in Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, which characterizes the cause of the 2002 Godhra train fire as “disputed.” In an interview with the news agency ANI, Asthana, who headed the initial Gujarat Police investigation into the incident, maintained that the findings regarding the fire were established through rigorous forensic evidence and subsequent judicial processes.
In her memoir, Gandhi wrote that the riots were triggered when four coaches of the Sabarmati Express were set on fire, resulting in the deaths of 59 pilgrims who were returning to Ahmedabad from Ayodhya. She noted that the cause of the fire “remains disputed.” Responding to this, Asthana argued that such assertions lack basis, stating, “That is completely wrong, the investigation is authentic. It has been proved in the court of law.” He further alleged that raising doubts at this stage appeared to be motivated by political reasons.
Asthana highlighted that the investigation was thoroughly vetted by a Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by former CBI Director RK Raghavan, which included former Uttar Pradesh DGP CB Satpathy. According to Asthana, the SIT re-examined the original probe, visited the incident site, and questioned the investigating officers before concluding there were no flaws in the Gujarat Police's work. The findings were submitted to the Supreme Court, and legal convictions were handed down in 2011.
Addressing the nature of the inquiry, Asthana asserted that the case was treated as a criminal act regardless of the victims' religious backgrounds. He stated, “All the people who died in Godhra were Hindus. And whoever’s death it may be—whether a Hindu’s, a Muslim’s, a Christian’s, or a Sikh’s—death is death, murder is murder.”
Key facts
- The 2002 Godhra incident resulted in 59 deaths when coaches of the Sabarmati Express were set on fire.
- Rakesh Asthana led the initial Gujarat Police investigation, which continued until 2008.
- A Supreme Court-appointed SIT, headed by RK Raghavan, later re-examined the investigation and found no flaws.
- Court convictions related to the incident were delivered in 2011.
- Asthana cited findings from the Nanavati Commission as supporting the investigation's conclusion that the fire was deliberate.
Why it matters
The rejection of the memoir's claims by a former senior investigator highlights ongoing public and political disagreement regarding historical events in Gujarat. The debate continues to serve as a point of contention in political discourse.
Background
The incident occurred on February 27, 2002, as the Sabarmati Express was returning to Ahmedabad from Ayodhya, carrying volunteers for the Ram temple.
Source: Times of India, Hindustan Times
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