Islamic Relief Committee wins case against Gujarat govt in HC on relief to damaged religious sites

Ahmedabad, 8 February 2012

While hearing a petition filed by Islamic Relief Committee of Gujarat(IRCG) in year 2003, the Gujarat High Court division bench of acting chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J.B. Pardiwala today pulled up the Gujarat government for “inaction and negligence” on its part during the 2002 post-Godhra riots that led to large-scale destruction of religious structures. The court said that when the government had paid compensation for destruction of houses and commercial establishments, it should also pay compensation for religious structures.

The court also ordered that principal judges of 26 districts of the state will receive the applications for compensation of religious structures in their respective districts and decide on it. They have been asked to send their decisions to HC within six months.

IRCG’s petition had sought court’s directions to the government to pay compensation towards damage of religious places during riots on the ground that the National Human Rights Commission, too, had recommended that.

The state government had opposed the IRCG petition, saying it was a violation of article 27 of the Constitution.

The government further said that there was no policy with regards to compensation for restoration/repair of religious places damaged or destroyed during the riots.