SC : Guj govt need not to repair religious structures destroyed in 2002 riots

The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Gujarat government's appeal against HC's direction to pay compensation to repair religious structures damaged during 2002 Gujarat riots.

A three-judge bench presided over by Justice Dipak Misra agreed to the scheme prepared by the state government under which the money was paid to be to all establishments, including commercial or residential, suffered partial or full destructions.The Gujarat government approached the apex court in 2012 against an order of the High Court directing it to pay compensation to over 500 shrines damaged during the 2002 riots, triggered after the Godhra incident.

The Gujarat government had said the state exchequer cannot be asked to undertake repair of the damaged religious structures.The state government had assailed the HC's February 8, 2012 order calling it "erroneous" on the ground that a government was not required to fund the religious bodies under our Constitutional principles.

On a petition filed by NGO Islamic Relief Committee of Gujarat (IRCG), the HC had pulled up the state government over its negligence during the post-Godhra riots.The high court had then directed the principal judges of 26 districts of the state to 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 the high court within six months.