Naroda Patiya riots verdict will spread good message: JD (U)

National Democratic Alliance ally Janata Dal United) on Friday welcomed the judgement given by a special court in Ahmedabad sentencing BJP MLA Maya Kodnani in Noroda Patiya massacre —— the worst of 2002 post—Godhra riots —— saying it “will spread a good message”.

“I am very satisfied. This country has seen many riots. But for the first time people who committed this act have been punished. This judgement will spread a very good message,” JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav told reporters here.

Mr. Yadav said “several riots took place in the country, including in Delhi, but no punishment ever took place. But for the first time, Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the Supreme Court made it happen.”

Another party MP Shivanand Tiwari said the judgement will have a “positive impact on the psyche of the minorities” and congratulated the witness for braving all odds and depose against the “powerful accused persons”.

“Perhaps this is the first such incident in the country in which the conspirators of communal riots have been punished.

Had the perpetrators of the communal riots been punished in this manner in the past, it would have discouraged such unfortunate happenings and communal riots would not have continued to take place in the manner they did,” Mr. Tiwari said.

JD (U) is running a government in Bihar in alliance with BJP for the last seven years and there had been a number of instances of sparrings between Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar.