Date:11/07/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/07/11/stories/2003071104741100.htm

National

Human chain to protest handling of Best Bakery case

By Our Special Correspondent

AHMEDABAD July 10. The Movement for Secular Democracy (MSD), an umbrella organisation of several voluntary organisations, today formed a ``human chain'' to protest police handling of the Best Bakery case.

Several hundred men and women joined hands across the Nehru Bridge, linking the old and new Ahmedabad, to voice the people's concern over the judgement of the Vadodara fast track court and demanded that the case be reopened.

In a resolution adopted at a meeting earlier, the MSD demanded that the State Government implement all the recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission in handling communal riot-related cases to ensure justice to the victims.

It also demanded protection to all the witnesses to enable them to testify before the courts.

All the riot-related cases, including the Best Bakery case, must be transferred to the CBI.

The speakers felt that police failed to nab the real culprits behind the Best Bakery carnage and provide protection to the witnesses, which led to the acquittal of all the accused in the case.

The MSD had launched a signature campaign in the State to voice the people's concern over human rights related issues. The signatures will be sent to the President and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.