The Congress legislators, on Wednesday, called on Governor Nawal Kishore Sharma and demanded the immediate dismissal of state Minister for Higher Education Maya Kodnani. The minister is wanted by the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) in connection with the mass massacres of Naroda Patiya and Naroda Gam in 2002.

In a memorandum submitted to the Governor, the Congress MLAs said if Chief Minister Narendra Modi failed to discharge his duties, the Governor must send an appropriate recommendation to the Centre seeking dismissal of his government.

The memorandum described the situation arising out of the chief minister allowing the “tainted” Kodnani to continue as minister, as a “mockery of democracy and flagrant violation of constitutional principles by the state government”.

The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Shaktisinh Gohil, demanded that either the government dismissed Kodnani or face its own dismissal.

Citing the fact that the SIT had filed a petition in the Gujarat High Court seeking cancellation of the anticipatory bail granted to Kodnani by the Additional Sessions Judge of Ahmedabad, Gohil said that the High Court had issued a notice to Kodnani asking her to explain in writing as to why her bail should not be cancelled. She was asked to reply by March 2.

The memorandum said that it was really unfortunate that such a person was continuing as a minister. “The government must maintain law and order in the state, but the state government in the present case is itself showing contempt for its statutory duty,” Gohil remarked.

Quoting from the SIT affidavit in the High Court, Gohil said the affidavit not only charged the minister with non-cooperation with investigators but also attracted attention of the court towards serious criminal offences allegedly committed by her.