Praful Patel is entitled to "own views" on Gujarat riot cases: Congress

NEW DELHI: Congress today sought to downplay ally NCP's contention that any judicial pronouncement on Narendra Modi's alleged involvement in the post-Godhra riots should not be questioned, saying that everybody was entitled to their own opinion.

"All political parties are entitled to an opinion on political issues. (NCP leader) Praful Patel is entitled to his own opinion," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told reporters here.

"Justice for the crimes committed by any individual, group or party is a prerequisite for our law and Constitution.

"We will only request that the judicial process needs to be expedited. Anybody guilty should be punished in accordance with the law," he said.

Patel, the Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, had earlier said that, "We are in an era when we believe that the judicial system is the final recourse to getting justice on any issue... If the judicial system has given a pronouncement, we ought to respect it, we will not question it further."

He was reacting to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's allegations in a TV interview that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi had abetted the 2002 riots in his state.

"If the judicial system has given certain finality to any controversy, then we should let it rest there," the NCP leader had said.