New Delhi: Railway Minister Laloo Prasad today (July 14, 2004) ordered a high-powered departmental inquiry into the Godhra carnage in Gujarat.

Winding up a discussion on the Railway Budget in Lok Sabha, Laloo said the probe panel would be given three-month time to submit its report.

Alleging a conspiracy in the February 27, 2002 episode in which 59 people were burnt alive, Laloo said the committee would probe whether the devastating blaze was caused by a short-circuit or some inflammable material.

Reading out a report of the Forensic Science Laboratory of Gujarat of May 17, 2002, the Minister said there was clear evidence that the fire had been caused by inflammable material inside the compartment.

Charging that the findings of the forensic lab were kept under wraps by the previous NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government and the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) Government in Gujarat, he said there would no cover up and all those found guilty would be punished.

Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal, in his brief intervention, said the fact that the report was kept under wraps went to show that this could not have been done without the connivance of state Chief Minister Narendra Modi, then Home Minister L K Advani and then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Laloo's reply was boycotted by almost the entire NDA in continuation of its protest against the "tainted" ministers in the Manmohan Singh Government.