Reacting to the acquittal of all 21 accused in the Best Bakery case pertaining to the post-Godhra violence, the Congress on Monday urged the Union government to intervene and see if the case can be reopened.

On March 1, 2002, twelve persons were burnt alive in the bakery and two others were reported missing during a bandh called by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal after 59 persons on board the Sabarmati Express were burnt alive at the Godhra railway station on February 27 the same year.

Expressing shock over the acquittal, party spokesman S Jaipal Reddy said, "We have reasons to believe that the process was sabotaged and the witnesses threatened. The judge had observed that despite years of experience, the police found it difficult to investigate incidents of communal violence, as compared to other cases."

"We did not expect anything better under (Chief Minister) Narendra Modi's dispensation," he said adding 'this (the verdict) may tarnish the reputation of our country'.

"We therefore urge the Government of India to do all that is necessary to undo the damage," Reddy said.

He said the Congress was also concerned about the status of other post-Godhra violence-related cases in Gujarat.

The National Human Rights Commission has also taken note of the acquittal.

"The chief secretary shall inform the Commission what steps, if any, the Gujarat government proposes to take against the order of acquittal," the Commission headed by Justice (retd) A S Anand said after a meeting of the full panel on Monday.

With inputs from PTI

Gujarat Violence: Complete Coverage
More reports from Gujarat