Govt must repair religious buildings hit in riots: Gujarat High Court - dnaindia.com
Ahmedabad: Gujarat High Court has observed that the state government is accountable for renovation of religious structures damaged in communal riots. The court has also said that the government is also accountable for giving compensation to such structures.
The division bench comprising chief justice SJ Mukhopadhaya and justice AS Dave observed this while hearing a petition filed by Islamic Relief Committee in 2003. The court also directed the state government to find out the list of such structures damaged during the riots.
The petition sought that 294 religious structures damaged in 2002 communal riots should be renovated and for this compensation should be provided. The matter has been listed in the high court for more than 41 times since the petition was filed. Further hearing on the matter was posted on March 5.
Moreover, a fact-finding committee of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had also prepared a list of religious structures damaged in post-Godhra riots. The committee had made the state government accountable for renovating and providing compensation to such structures.
However, the government argued that there is no such policy for renovation or providing compensation to religious structures as many a times the custodian to such structures is the government itself like Wakf Board or religious trusts.
On the NHRC report, advocate-general Kamal Trivedi said "there is no such government policy for providing compensation or renovating religious structures damaged in communal riots and there are a total of 535 structures which were damaged in the communal riots." He, however, quickly added that they have a list of only 64 such structures.
Taking note of the advocate-general's statements, the chief justice asked whether the NHRC had prepared the report taking into consideration the state government. The court also directed to find out the list of 64 structures damaged in riots.
Justice Mukhopadhaya also said not to politicise the cases by saying that let the people think that the government is working for them and there will be no heartburns in providing compensation and renovating such structures. "Finding such structures which were damaged in communal riots and renovating and providing compensation will repose faith among people that the NHRC report is being implemented," observed Justice Mukhopadhaya.
Earlier, in December last year, the division bench of justice Mukhopadhaya and justice Mohit Shah had observed: "Whether in absence of any scheme, on the ground of public interest the state government can be directed to pay compensation for construction of religious places on the ground that one or other religious places were desecrated, damaged or destroyed."
Ahmedabad: Gujarat High Court has observed that the state government is accountable for renovation of religious structures damaged in communal riots. The court has also said that the government is also accountable for giving compensation to such structures.
The division bench comprising chief justice SJ Mukhopadhaya and justice AS Dave observed this while hearing a petition filed by Islamic Relief Committee in 2003. The court also directed the state government to find out the list of such structures damaged during the riots.
The petition sought that 294 religious structures damaged in 2002 communal riots should be renovated and for this compensation should be provided. The matter has been listed in the high court for more than 41 times since the petition was filed. Further hearing on the matter was posted on March 5.
Moreover, a fact-finding committee of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had also prepared a list of religious structures damaged in post-Godhra riots. The committee had made the state government accountable for renovating and providing compensation to such structures.
However, the government argued that there is no such policy for renovation or providing compensation to religious structures as many a times the custodian to such structures is the government itself like Wakf Board or religious trusts.
On the NHRC report, advocate-general Kamal Trivedi said "there is no such government policy for providing compensation or renovating religious structures damaged in communal riots and there are a total of 535 structures which were damaged in the communal riots." He, however, quickly added that they have a list of only 64 such structures.
Taking note of the advocate-general's statements, the chief justice asked whether the NHRC had prepared the report taking into consideration the state government. The court also directed to find out the list of 64 structures damaged in riots.
Justice Mukhopadhaya also said not to politicise the cases by saying that let the people think that the government is working for them and there will be no heartburns in providing compensation and renovating such structures. "Finding such structures which were damaged in communal riots and renovating and providing compensation will repose faith among people that the NHRC report is being implemented," observed Justice Mukhopadhaya.
Earlier, in December last year, the division bench of justice Mukhopadhaya and justice Mohit Shah had observed: "Whether in absence of any scheme, on the ground of public interest the state government can be directed to pay compensation for construction of religious places on the ground that one or other religious places were desecrated, damaged or destroyed."
