"It is wrong to say that the Supreme Court has given a clean chit to Modi. The Supreme Court has referred the matter to the lower court for hearing and after a decision by the lower court, the doors of the higher courts are still open for aggrieved persons," Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said.
"Modi`s actions during the Gujarat riots are known to all. Then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had himself criticised his functioning during the post-Godhra riots. His record as Chief Minister of the state is a blot," he said.
However, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said the party was happy with the order.
"We are happy with the Supreme Court ruling. We can understand the desperation and unhappiness of Modi-baiters.
After this verdict, the hate campaign against Modi has lost.
It can never win," he said, adding the Supreme Court has upheld the "due process of law".
"Justice says one cannot manufacture evidence. Now the SIT will present its case to the lower court which will hear the case," Javadekar said.