A Congress delegation met President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday (21 September 2015) and demanded a CBI probe into the possibility of political conspiracy in the 2013 attack in which some top party leaders in Chhattisgarh were killed by Maoists. A delegation including party treasurer Motilal Vora, former union minister Mohsina Kidwai, Chhattisgarh party chief Bhupesh Baghel, party’s leader in the state assembly T.S. Singhdeo along with legislators submitted a memorandum to the president in which they said that the threat perception to the party’s Parivartan Yatra in 2013 was not assessed properly.
They also requested the president to seek a report regarding the “partial and unlawful functioning” of some investigative wings of Chhattishgarh government.
“It is with a sense of regret that we note that the investigation conducted by the National Investigation Agency has completely ignored any alternative theories and has ruled out the possibility of political conspiracy,” the party said.
Noting the NIA charge sheet held that attack was carried out by the Dandkaranaya Zonal Committee, the party said it falls very low in Maoist hierarchy and a decision like this “cannot be taken by such low rung leaders”.
It also said that the judicial commission probing the incident does not have “conspiracy angle” in its terms of reference.
“We are requesting you to advise/direct the union government and the state government to order an inquiry by the CBI in Jeeram Ghati incident,” the memorandum said.
In the May 25, 2013 attack, Maoists targeted the Congress convoy as it was returning from a rally, killing 30 people including some senior party leaders.
In another memorandum, the party claimed the state’s investigating agencies were not properly investigating the “PDS scam”, “Lohandiguda exam scam”, “Meena Khalkho case”, “fake ration card scam”, “Turkadeesh bridge scam” and sought the president call for a report.
