Zakia Jafri asks Jaitley to exercise restraint

Zakia Jafri, who is fighting for justice for her slain husband and Congress leader Ehsan Jafri, has urged Rajya Sabha leader of opposition Arun Jaitley to exercise restraint while making comments on the 2002 Gujarat riots and the SIT report.

Zakia Jafri, who is fighting for justice for her slain husband and Congress leader Ehsan Jafri, has urged Rajya Sabha leader of opposition Arun Jaitley to exercise restraint while making comments on the 2002 Gujarat riots and the SIT report.

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In her letter, also signed by social activist Teesta Setalvad, she has sought to impress upon Jaitley that the case against Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is before the magisterial court, so any comment from a person of his stature would be seen as an attempt to “influence the course of justice”.

“You said on television that since the allegations against Shri Modi have thrice been investigated and found to be untrue, the case should be closed once and for all. This is a misrepresentation of facts.

It is not merely an utter falsehood but a deliberate misreading of the due process of law,” the letter said.

Jaitley, a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party, could not be reached for his observations.

The letter further said: “To observe the sanctity of the public record we urge you (to) refrain from making these statements that could be seen as a crude attempt to manipulate public discourse and even influence the course of justice.”

Stressing that the case against Modi had not been closed, Jafri mentioned though she and others were fighting for justice within the legal and constitutional means, they had been made the subject of contempt and ridicule.

“… but we write this in slender hope that your position as leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha will compel you to exercise lawful restraint while making comments in this sensitive case in public.”

Ehsan Jafri, who had once been a Congress MP, was killed on February 28, 2002, by a mob.