Congress demands SIT probe into Jhiram Ghati attack, slams BJP for obstructing justice
Bhupesh Baghel
reiterated his demand for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the deadly 2013 Naxal attack.
The attack claimed the lives of several top Congress leaders. Speaking at a tribute event at Rajiv Bhawan, Baghel accused successive BJP governments of consistently obstructing justice and shielding the real conspirators behind the ambush.
Baghel, along with Leader of Opposition Dr Charandas Mahant and other Congress leaders, laid wreaths and observed a two-minute silence to honour the martyrs. Baghel recalled that during the Congress's tenure, an SIT was formed to investigate the larger conspiracy behind the attack.
However, he alleged that the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which had earlier closed its investigation in 2015 without recording statements of key victims or naming any suspects, reopened its case soon after the SIT was formed, effectively stalling the state probe.
"The NIA repeatedly refused to hand over the case file to the state despite multiple requests. Even when the High Court dismissed the stay obtained by the NIA, the agency went to the Supreme Court, which too rejected their plea on November 21, 2023.
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Now that the legal roadblocks are gone, what is stopping the state government from moving forward with the SIT probe?" Baghel questioned.
He urged the current BJP-led state government to immediately initiate the SIT investigation based on the complaints lodged by victim families at Darbha police station, asserting that justice delayed is justice denied. "Twelve years have passed, and yet the victims' families continue to wait for answers.
Who is being protected? Why were the injured never questioned? The secrecy around the investigation points to a deeper conspiracy," he alleged.
Baghel also questioned the central government's double standards, pointing out how central agencies like the ED, CBI, and Income Tax Department have actively pursued alleged financial scams in the state, while the Centre fought legal battles to prevent a state-led probe into a major terror incident.
Leader of Opposition Dr Mahant echoed Baghel's sentiments, calling the Jhiram attack an unhealed wound for the Congress. He questioned the withdrawal of security for the Congress's 'Parivartan Yatra' in a known Naxal stronghold and said the incident remains a blot on Indian democracy.
'For the BJP, Jhiram might be a forgotten chapter or a deliberate conspiracy, but for the Congress, it's a dark day etched in our memory.
We will continue to fight for justice,' Mahant said.
Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee President Deepak Baij visited the martyrs' memorial in Jhiram Valley to pay homage to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for Chhattisgarh. He also toured the site where, in 2013, Naxalites launched a cowardly attack on unarmed individuals. Baij stressed that justice has not yet been served in the Jhiram Valley attack.
He said a swift and complete investigation to identify the culprits would bring proper justice to the martyrs' families and the people of Chhattisgarh.
The Jhiram Ghati massacre took place on May 25, 2013, in Bastar's Darbha Valley, claiming the lives of over 30 people, including prominent Congress leaders such as Mahendra Karma, Nand Kumar Patel, and Uday Mudliyar. Despite the passage of over a decade, the full truth behind the attack remains elusive.
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