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22 Nov, 2014

2002 Gujarat riots: US court seeks response to objections over PM Modi’s immunity | The Indian Express

A US court has asked the State Department to respond by December 10 to the objections raised by a rights group over the immunity granted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in connection with a lawsuit filed against him for his alleged role in the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The American Justice Center (AJC) had filed a memorandum last week providing legal justification on why the case against Modi should move forward, and why Modi should not be granted immunity for the alleged human rights abuses committed during his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat.

In response to AJC’s brief, the US District Court for the Southern District of New York has directed the US State Department to respond to AJC’s legal brief challenging the US position on Modi’s immunity. The order requires the State Department to respond by December 10 to AJC’s “objection to the suggestion of immunity”.

AJC President Joseph Whittington expressed confidence of the sound legal basis for the case against Modi and said he expects the court to allow the lawsuit to move forward. “Survivors of the horrific Gujarat massacres expect the US to uphold its own laws as well as international norms of justice,” he further added.

Read the rest: 2002 Gujarat riots: US court seeks response to objections over PM Narendra Modi’s immunity | The Indian Express.