2002 Gujarat Riots: Nanavati-Mehta Panel Final Report To Be Tabled In Assembly Today

The final report of Justice Nanavati-Mehta Commission on the 2002 Gujarat riots, and action taken on it, will be tabled in the state Legislative Assembly on Wednesday. The first part of the report of the commission, formed to inquire into the cause of the Godhra train burning incident and subsequent communal riots, was tabled in the Assembly on September 25, 2009.

The commission submitted its final report (containing part two) on November 18, 2014, to then chief minister Anandiben Patel, but it was withheld by the state government since then.

The state government had, in September this year, told the Gujarat High Court it will table the report in the next Assembly session. The state government's assurance was in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by former IPS officer RB Sreekumar, seeking a direction from HC to the government to make the report public.

Sreekumar, a former state director general of police who had filed affidavits before the Nanavati commission and questioned "inaction" by the state government during the post-Godhra riots, made a representation to then CM Patel in November 2015, demanding that the entire report be made public.

Then chief minister Narendra Modi had on February 28,2002 announced a one-man commission to inquire into the cause of the Godhra train burning incident that had killed 59 passengers, believed to be Karsevaks, and subsequent communal violence in the state.

The government later reconstituted the commission, with Justice GT Nanavati, a former Supreme Court judge, as its chairman and Justice KG Shah, a former high court judge, as a member.

After Justice Shah died, Justice AK Mehta, also a former high court judge, took his place.

The government also expanded the terms of reference of the commission, bringing under its purview role and conduct of the chief minister, ministers and police officers during the riots.