JAIPUR: The Rajasthan Government has refused to table the Justice Chopra Commission findings on the 2008 Mehrangarh Fort stampede, which claimed the lives of 216 people during the Navratra season in September 2008.The Gehlot government’ decision ‘not to’ publicize the report was stated in an additional affidavit submitted Wednesday before the bench of Chief Justice S. Ravindra Bhatt and Justice PS Bhat, which is hearing a PIL on the issue.
The state upheld its predecessor BJP government’s stand, that certain sections of the Justice Jasraj Chopra Commission constituted in 2008, and which submitted its report in May 2011, are based on estimations and myths, which if placed in the public domain could have serious repercussions on the law and order domain.
Citing a cabinet sub-committee recommendation, it said the tabling of the report would not be in public interest. The court, however, directed that the Justice Chopra inquiry commission report and the cabinet sub committee’s report be given in a sealed cover before the court, while putting up the case for its next hearing on September 2.
Earlier, a cabinet sub-committee constituted by the Cabinet Secretariat on April 14, 2018 by the BJP government had also recommended that the commission’s report should not be made public Subsequently, the Cabinet Secretariat constituted a second sub-committee on July 22, 2019 to re-examine the case.
The case came up before the HC following a PIL filed by one Manaram, pleading that the Chopra Commission findings be made public.
The Mehrangarh Pariwar Dukhantika Manch has been pursuing the tragedy. Its convenor Vijay Rao said, “The solution to every death is not compensation. We want justice. Both the BJP and Congress governments have tried to cover up. You set up a committee, spend crores, take our statements and then say it won’t be made public. How fair is that?”
The solution to every death is not compensation. We want justice. Both the BJP and Congress governments have tried to cover up. You take our statements and then say it won’t be made public
Vijay Rao, Mehrangarh Pariwar Dukhantika Manch