Monday, January 2 2006 14:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ahmedabad: The Godhra Inquiry Commission today (Jan 2, 2006)asked the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government to 'apply its mind' and file afresh affidavit seeking privileges for the letters written by former President late K R Narayanan to then Prime Minister A B Vaypayee over troop deployment during post-Godhra riots in Gujarat in 2002.

The two-member Nanavati-Shah Commission probing the Godhra train carnage of February 27, 2002 and the communal riots in Gujarat today told Additional Solicitor General Mohan Parashran, "This is a fact-finding Commission and even the government is duty-bound to assist it".

The Commission told Parashran that "The Rashtrapati Bhavan in consultation with UPA Government is claiming privileges over the letters, the contents of which have already been divulged by the former President to the media."

"You are claiming privileges for the letters, the contents of which are already publicly known'', Justice G T Nanavati (retd) said.

The Commission said the grounds under which the privileges were being sought was not clear and so proper application of the mind was needed to look into the pros and cons of the affadavit made before the Commission.

"The inference that could be drawn from the (Government's affadavit) is that you are trying to hide something'', Justice Nanavati said.

The inquiry panel also granted time till February 4 to the Government to file a fresh affadavit in this regard.