Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday said his government will not make public the report of the judicial commission, headed by former judge of Chhattisgarh High Court Justice Prashant Mishra, on the May 2013 Jhiram valley Maoist attack, because it is "incomplete".
He was talking to reporters at the Swami Vivekanand Airport in Raipur after returning from Delhi late on Friday evening.
"The commission was constituted during the previous Raman Singh government (in 2013). Its term was extended for 20 times. In June this year, the panel's tenure was extended for the last time. In September, the commission's secretary had sought further extension, saying the probe was yet to be completed," Mr Baghel said.
"Meanwhile, Justice Prashant Mishra was transferred as Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court. In such a situation, I sought opinion of the law department," he said.
"We came to know through the media that the commission has handed over its report to the Raj Bhavan (governor). Today, officials informed me that the governor's office has handed over the report to the state government....in the meantime the state government has appointed two new members to the commission to complete the probe," Mr Baghel said.
Asked whether the report submitted by the panel headed by Mr Mishra will be made public, the Chief Minister said, "Absolutely not, as the report is incomplete...The commission's secretary had written to the General Administration Department that the probe was incomplete."
Maoists attacked a convoy of Congress leaders during the party's "Parivartan Rally" in the Jhiram valley in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh on May 25, 2013, killing 29 people including then state Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel, former leader of opposition Mahendra Karma and former Union minister VC Shukla.
AdvertisementMeanwhile, Mr Baghel also slammed actor Kangana Ranaut for describing India's Independence in 1947 as "bheek" or alms, and said she should apologise to the nation.
Questioned about Ms Ranaut's statement, he said, "It is an insult to those legends who fought for our freedom, went to jail and faced the wrath of the Britishers. No statement can be more shameful than this, she should apologize to the nation."
