New Delhi, 29 August(Wishav Warta): The Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside a Gujarat high court order asking the state government to pay for the reconstruction and repair work of religious structures damaged during the 2002 post-Godhra riots. A bench of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and justice PC Pant, however, said the state government’s scheme of paying ex gratia of Rs 50,000 for damaged residential and commercial properties would apply to religious properties as well.
The bench was hearing a petition filed by Gujarat government challenging the high court order directing it to pay compensation to more than 500 shrines damaged during the 2002 riots, triggered after the Godhra incident. Additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta, who represented the state government, said that “our plea has been allowed” The state government had told the court it was willing to pay ex gratia amount for repair and reconstruction works of various structures, shops and houses which were damaged.
