Saturday, February 5 2005 17:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ahmedabad: In an unexpected revelation, a VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) leader today (Feb 05, 2005) told the Godhra inquiry commission that the Gujarat bandh call given by the saffron outfit on February 28, 2002 was not to retaliate the killing of 59 'Kar Sevaks' onboard the S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express train the previous day at Godhra railway station.

Deposing before Commission comprising Justice (retd) G T Nanavati and Justice (retd) K G Shah Gujarat VHP joint secretary Kaushik Mehta, replied in the negative to a question by advocate Mukul Sinha if the State-wide bandh call given by the VHP was to retaliate the killing of Kar Sevaks at Godhra.

However, Sinha did not probe further on the matter.

Later, when the reporters asked the advocate why he did not ask the VHP leader to explain the reason for the bandh during his cross-examinations, he indicated that it was for tactical reasons.

Mehta, who filed his affidavit before the Commission June 10, 2002 was, however, caught on the wrong foot when asked about a series of phone numbers mentioned in the affidavit that he alleged were made from Godhra to Pakistan by anti-national elements, who were part of the conspiracy.

Explaining the importance of the numbers, Mehta said that he had got this information from local media reports but was stumped for a reply when told by Sinha that his investigation had revealed that the first number mentioned by Mehta was that of Surat-based 'Ganesh construction' and that too owned by a Hindu while several other numbers did not even exist.

In stark contrast to the State BJP's (Bharatiya Janata Party) claim that the party only 'supported' the VHP's bandh call, the VHP leader during the cross-examination said, "We had called for the bandh call but did not seek support of the BJP."

Mehta also denied that VHP activists had participated in killing of Muslims during the post-Godhra communal riots.

To another query if the VHP had conducted any independent probe to find out the reasons behind the train carnage and as to how he could mention about the alleged talks between people of Godhra and Pakistan, Mehta replied in the negative and said that the information about the telephonic conversation was based on media reports.

On being asked if he thought that the Godhra incident was an outcome of differences in ideology between the two communities, Mehta said bluntly, "Those who are behind the train carnage detest Hindus."

However, Mehta also said that the VHP had not sought any extra security for the scores of Kar Sevaks going to Ayodhya since February and for their return as they had no suspicion or information of any conspiracy to attack the train.