‘Narendra Modi suffered for 19 years,’ says Amit Shah after SC ruling on Gujarat riots

Amit Shah said he had seen PM Modi suffer through the “19-year-long battle against the case”. “Only a strong-willed person could’ve taken stand to not say anything as case was sub-judice,”

New Delhi: A day after the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal filed by Zakia Jafri challenging the SIT’s clean chit to Narendra Modi and others in cases related to the 2002 Gujarat riots, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he had seen PM Modi suffer through the “19-year-long battle against the case”.

In an interview to news agency ANI, Shah said, “Only a strong-willed person could’ve taken stand to not say anything as case was sub-judice,” adding that Modi, who was then the chief minister of Gujarat, always believed in the law.

“I am happy that Modiji has set an example that no matter the allegation, he always believed in the law and upheld the Constitution,” Shah said.

“NGOs constantly sought more dates in the case so that the blame on Modiji continues… The NGOs working with Zakia, and political parties funding these NGOs, and media groups supporting these NGOs, wanted political gain,” he said.

When asked if the riots were advantageous for BJP rule in Gujarat, Shah said, “If riots were beneficial for the BJP, we would’ve been inciting more riots.”

On the contention regarding the delay in calling in the Army during the riots, Shah said, “As far as Gujarat government is concerned, we were not late. The day Gujarat bandh call was given, we called in the Army that afternoon itself. The Army takes some time to reach…There wasn’t even a day’s delay. Court appreciated it too.”