Gujarat to table Godhra report on Sept 25

GANDHINAGAR; The Gujarat government is set to table part-I of the justice (retd) GT Nanavati and justice (retd) Akshay Mehta Commission report on the Sabarmati Express carnage in Godhra and the riots that followed, in the monsoon session of the assembly beginning September 25. The report will be officially placed for cabinet approval on September 24.

After getting a nod from the cabinet, the home department will send the report to assembly speaker Ashok Bhatt on the same day.  Sources said Bhatt is likely to approve the government’s request. The chief minister may himself present the report in the House either on September 25 or September 26.

“It’s clear now that the government will table the Nanavati-Mehta Commission report in the monsoon session. The home and legislative and parliamentary affairs departments are completing the formalities to present the report. The printing of the report has started and is being done very confidentially,” highly-placed sources revealed.

The government has also decided to pass a GR okayed by Bhatt demanding immediate clearance of the Gujcoc bill from the Centre. It is believed that the commission’s report and GR on anti-terror bill will be placed in the assembly on the same day.

Sources claimed the monsoon session will help the BJP politically in many ways as the commission report apparently draws the party line on the Godhra pogrom. The resolution on Gujcoc is also part of chief minister Narendra Modi and BJP’s political drive against the Congress.
d_kapil@dnaindia.net