Indian HC In UK Says Kin Of 3 Gujarat 2002 Riots Victims Have Not Approached It
London/New Delhi, Feb 10: The Indian High Commission in London has said that it has not been approached by the kin of three British victims of the 2002 Gujarat riots for repatriation of the bodies, after the issue was raised in the UK Parliament by a Labour party leader. Labour party MP Kim Leadbeater moved a motion on Wednesday for a debate at Westminster Hall on the ’20th anniversary of the 2002 Gujarat riots’ and called for the repatriation of the remains of the three British victims.
The Indian High Commission in a statement said that it has “not so far been approached by the H’ble MP who sponsored the motion or any other Participants in today’s discussion to engage on the subject – including on the specific request of the families of three British victims.”
It added that “As has been abundantly acknowledged by speakers in today’s discussion, since 2002, due process of law has been followed, closely supervised by the Supreme Court of India.
“It is well known that under successive Indian Governments, there has been continuous Parliamentary oversight and Judicial supervision of the investigations into the incidents and free debate and discussions have taken place in the Parliament of India.” It also said that the report of the Special Investigation Team constituted by the Supreme Court of India has been placed in the public domain.
“India is not only the world’s largest functioning democracy, it also uniquely exemplifies unity in diversity. Our internal laws and foreign policy are guided by the principles enshrined in the Constitution of India and this enables our people to address their problems democratically and within our own democratic institutions including our legislature and judiciary”, the statement said.
Speaking on behalf of her constituents from Batley and Spen in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, the Labour MP Kim Leadbeater also sought a coroner’s inquest in the UK into the circumstances of the deaths of the three British citizens from Gujarat. She demanded that any unpublished report by the UK on the Gujarat riots be made public. Leadbeater said that her British Muslim constituents who had lost family members in the riots felt they had not received justice, and the remains of the three victims had not been returned to them.
Reading a statement in the UK Parliament, Leadbeater said the names of the three victims were Shakeel and Saeed Dawood and their childhood friend Mohammad Aswat. A mob had encircled their jeep and they were killed. Their 18-year nephew Imran Dawood who was with them miraculously survived and he is with them today. Foreign Office Minister Amanda Milling said they have provided consular support to the families of the British victims since 2002 and will continue to provide assistance as needed. She said the families have filed an application in an Indian court for the remains to be returned.
