2002 Gulberg case: Zakia disappointed with verdict, will continue fight
Ahmedabad: Zakia Jafri, wife of Congress MP Ehsan Jafri who was among those killed in the Gulberg Society massacre, on Thursday expressed disappointment over the court acquitting 36 people and said they should have been punished as they “killed people and destroyed property”.
Her son Tanvir Jafri said he would consult lawyers on how 36 others were acquitted before deciding on whether to go for further appeal.
Read: 24 convicted for Gulberg killings
Zakia said her fight for justice would continue. “I am not satisfied with the court verdict. They should have been punished because I know what they did. They must get the punishment as they killed people and destroyed their families. I saw them doing it with my own eyes,” Zakia said.
She said that being a woman, she doesn't have the courage to demand capital punishment for the accused, but they must be awarded stringent punishment.
“When they (those acquitted by court) will be separated from their loved ones, they will realise what we went through,” she said.
“My fight should have stopped but looking at Thursday’s judgement the fight will continue,” she said. Tanvir expressed surprise how only 24 people were convicted when a mob of 400 was involved in the rioting.
Read: Timeline of Gulberg society massacre case
“The Gulberg society is not chai ki lari (tea stall) which can be burnt by one person. It is a very big society. 15-20 bungalows were there, 10 flats were also there with 400-500 people staying there. 24 people cannot burn the whole society, loot, kill, burn large number of people in brutal manner for over 12 hours.
“It looks little odd. Thirty-six people have been acquitted. We will decide on whether to for further appeal or not (against the acquittal),” he said.
More than 14 years after the Gulberg massacre that killed 69 people including former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, 24 people were convicted by a special court which acquitted 36 others and dropped conspiracy charges.
We respect the judgement: Teesta Setalvad
R.K. Raghavan, who headed the Supreme Court-appointed SIT to probe the 2002 Gujarat riots, said he has “mixed feelings” about the verdict.
“I have mixed feelings as some were convicted while others acquitted. I shall be able to comment more only after looking at the order,” Mr Raghavan, a former CBI director, said.
Activist Teesta Setalvad, whose NGO, Citizens for Justice and Peace, took up the cases of victims of the Gujarat riots, said, “All I can say after 14 years of struggle is that we welcome and respect the judgment.
“Till we actually study the final points of the judgement, I cannot say anything more. But people don’t realise what it means to undertake a struggle like this. Highest tribute must go to the survivors for their testimonies in the face of huge hostility... to the entire CJP team and the lawyers who stood by the victims. We believe that this is a case of criminal conspiracy.”
