Muslim leader seeks judicial inquiry in Vadodara violence

Vadodara, May 1 (UNI) Even as leaders of both the communities are embroiled in claim and counter-claims over the Gujarat government's propriety of demolishing encroachments, a Muslim leader has demanded a judicial inquiry in today's violence in the city.

Talking to reporters here late evening, Zuber Goplani said it should be conducted by a Supreme Court judge with punitive powers.

In a copy of his demand sent to the Union Government, he demanded that all involved in today's violence should be punished, irresective of their religious or political background.

However, Mr Goplani asserted that he would not allow the dargah to be demolished by Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) which, he claimed, is 300 years old and has its mention in the Baroda City Survey Plan of 1912.

Quoting the Gujarat Religious Places (Special Powers) Act 1991, he said no structure that existed before Independence could be demolished.

However, Hindu leader Neeraj Jain contested Goplani's claim and quoted a more recent Supreme Court judgment, which permitted removal of religious places if they fall under development plans.

Gujarat Minister of State for Home Amit Shah, who arrived here in the evening to take stock of the situation, later told newspersons: ''It was not a communal violence as some tried to give it a communal colour. It was confined to only six out of 13 police station areas in Vadodara and entire state is peaceful.'' The Minister said the situtation had been brought under control, as he sought people's cooperation to maintain peace. The entire state was under vigil, he added.

He said the ongoing demolition drive against encroachment was three years old, as 1,79,936 kuccha and 59,186 pucca structures had been demolished on 7,812 government plots since then, freeing land valued at Rs 437 crore.

These included 84,935 kuccha and 20,699 structures on 3,594 plots in major cities alone. In Vadodara itself, he said, 48 illegal religious structures, including two dargahs, had been demolished during the last two weeks.

Mr Shah said that three companies of State Reserve Police Force and two companies of Rapid Action Force had been depoloyed in the curfew-bound areas, while others were kept in reserve.

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