Commissioner seeks contempt proceedings against Chief Secretary

New Delhi, June 5 (UNI) The Supreme Court appointed Commissioner has reported extremely difficult conditions in the relief colonies in Gujarat where the victims of the 2002 communal riots are staying.

The report sought initiation of contempt of court proceedings against Gujarat Chief Secretary and other state officials for misrepresenting facts and furnishing incomplete and inaccurate information to the Commissioner.

The Commissioner Dr N C Saxena in his report has also recommended that all families living in 81 relief colonies in the state must be given Antodaya Cards, as internally displaced persons who have lost all their belongings, face fear and economic boycott and are too scared to return to their homes.

The Commissioner has also prayed to the court to immediately direct the state authorities to open primary schools with mid-day meal schemes in all 81 relief colonies and the schools should be located in a manner that these are accessible not only to the residents of the camps but to the surrounding communities also, to promote integration.

The report has also recommended that ration shops under Public Distribution System should be opened in all relief colonies where these are not available within a distance of three kilometers.

According to the report when the Commissioner requested the government to look into the matter regarding utter shortage of food and livelihood distress of people who were internally displaced and also demanded from the state government to implement food scheme as per the directions of the Supreme Court, shockingly the state government responded by claiming that there were no relief colonies of people displaced by the 2002 communal violence in the state.

Shortly thereafter the National Commission for Minorities deputed a three member committee to visit the camps from October 13 to 17, 2006 and they went to 17 relief colonies.

In their report they observed the difficulties faced by the residents of these colonies due to the non-implementation of state programmes in relation to livelihood and food schemes.

The report is a damning condemnation of the cavalier and callous attitude of the Narendra Modi Government towards the victims of Gujarat communal riots which rocked the state following Godhra train burning incident in which over 50 Karsevaks were roasted alive.

The report is the part of a PIL filed by the PUCL.

UNI