The incident at Naroda Patya in 2002 is often referred to as the worst massacre during the Gujarat riots, as it resulted in the murder of 97 people at the hands of a mob led by former education minister Maya Kodnani.
Maya Kodnani – one of the convicts of the Gujarat 2002 riots, out on bail taking selfies at a Yoga retreat ( via fb) pic.twitter.com/qe0H634mz4
— रचित सेठ (@rachitseth) November 23, 2015
Although she was convicted and given a 28-year prison sentence, Kodnani has been granted bail on health grounds on more than one occasion, and a recent picture of her with a woman at a meditation camp near Ahmedabad has sparked outrage.
The woman who posted a selfie with Maya Kodnani on Facebook wrote, “meditating together with former education minister of Gujarat – Mayaben Kodnani.” As soon as this picture surfaced, Twitter was abuzz with sharp criticism.
Maya Kodnani, convicted mass murderer of 97 ppl, out on bail for health reasons, taking selfies at a yoga retreat! https://t.co/r4X96Gjsr9
— VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) November 22, 2015
Not only economy in dumps,terrorists like Maya Kodnani r also having field day in Modi regime #FlyingFekuSinkEconomy pic.twitter.com/PL0UzeaRxq
— Shekhar (@MangoBwoy) November 23, 2015
Maya Kodnani’s selfie?! WHAA!! What is this? #SelfiewithMurderer ? pic.twitter.com/0g9WahSZse
— $ir^$ri^$ri Magal (@jhunjhunwala) November 23, 2015
Modi made Maya Kodnani cabinet min. who murdered 97 ppl, nw out on bail & nw talking on world platform abt terrorism https://t.co/00F8qan48l
— Ajitkumar Kanan (@Ajitkumar_Kanan) November 23, 2015
@LittleVoice89 @shadab_bdk bloody hell, wasn’t kodnani supposed to be in jail? Who’s woman next to her? A public figure or normal person?
— Dhara (@dhar_aa) November 23, 2015
Sources close to the former minister and convict told NDTV , that she did attend a ten day camp in order to “relieve mental stress” since she is mentally unstable, as the prosecution lawyer demanded an inquiry into her alleged health condition.
Despite facing serious allegations after 2002, Kodnani was appointed as education minister in 2007, and remained in office until her arrest in 2009.