Social activist Teesta Setalvad on Saturday alleged that the Modi government was trying to malign the organisations helping the survivors of the Godhra riots.

Addressing a press conference here, Ms. Setalvad alleged that the government was trying to “malign, vilify, persecute and financially cripple an organisation that has given legal aid to the survivors and that is what we are going through.” There were 120 convictions from 68 cases they had handled.

Holding that it would be difficult for the survivors to fight cases unless they get legal aid, she said, “The attempt by the governments in Delhi and Gujarat is actually to remove us from the scene.”

Elaborating on the pattern of violent caste or communal incidents across the country, Ms. Setalvad said that there was a systematic build-up to the violence against a caste or communal group and it does not break out spontaneously.

“It is the biggest myth about violence that it breaks out spontaneously.”