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| 300 affidavits, 50 to 60 witnesses and other evidences? | | Clean chit to Kitchloo | | Neha
JAMMU, Dec 22: The December 20 one-man commission of inquiry interim report on the August 9 Kishtwar despicable incident that kept the entire district under curfew for two weeks and angered the minority community and shattered its faith in the NC-Congress coalition government gave a clean chit to former MoS Home Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo much to the chagrin of the entire minority community. That the report angered the minority community could be seen from the protests the angry people held in front of the residence of Justice R C Gandhi (Retd) and Raj Bhawan on Saturday and at more than 18 other places across the Jammu province. And if the nature of their anger is any indication, then it be said that the coming days would witness more protests against the NC-Congress coalition government, Justice Gandhi and the Congress-led UPA Government.
The people of Jammu province are convinced that Justice Gandhi and the NC-Congress coalition government worked in tandem to obtain a clean chit for Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo. Their belief that justice was denied to the victims of the well-planned violence has stemmed from the fact that Justice Gandhi based his judgement on the basis of the so-called 300 affidavits, 50 to 60 witnesses and other evidences. This is what a report on the interim report of the one-man inquiry commission said.
The said report read like this: "Justice Gandhi will give his final report after getting response to the questionnaire submitted by him to Director General of Police Ashok Prasad, CID Headquarters and other senior officers pertaining to functioning of police, intelligence network and civil administration". It also read: Justice Gandhi "has received about 300 affidavits and examined 50 to 60 witnesses and on their basis as well as on the basis of other evidences Mr. Kitchloo had no involvement in the incidents, thus giving him a clean chit".
The concerned citizens are asking two questions. 1. "How could he (Justice Gandhi) give his report when he had not heard any response to the questionnaire submitted by him to Director General of Police Ashok Prasad, CID Headquarters and other senior officers pertaining to functioning of police, intelligence network and civil administration, which had completely collapsed on the day of Eid violence"? Second, "who submitted 300 affidavits and who were those 50 to 60 witnesses which he examined, as also which were the other evidences on the basis of which he gave a clean chit to Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo?
Both the questions appear very valid. It would be better if Justice Gandhi and the state government disclose the names of those who submitted about 300 affidavits, of those 50 to 60 witnesses Justice Gandhi examined and reveal the "other evidence" to clear the air and establish that the inquiry was conducted in a fair manner and without fear or favour. Such an approach is imperative to assuage the hurt feelings of the minority community. Besides, Justice Gandhi would also do well to explain what made him go beyond his terms of reference and suggestion the inclusion of members of the majority community in the Village Defence Committees. It is necessary because the VDCs were created in 1994 to protect the minority community and its religious places and create a sense of security among the minority communities in the terrorist infested erstwhile Doda district and Poonch and Rajouri districts, besides a few other places. It would be in the interest of Justice Gandhi and the State Government to make public the interim for public scrutiny. |
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