News Analysis India

Tag: Gujarat

  • Maya Kodnani’s political career set for revival post acquittal in Naroda Gam riots case

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: With her acquittal in the second and last case against her in the 2002 riots cases, doors are now open for former Bharatiya Janata Party minister Maya Kodnani to stage a comeback in Gujarat’s active politics, a decade after her political graph nosedived following allegations related to the post-Godhra communal violence.

    Gujarat BJP leaders on Friday said if the physician-turned-politician, once a member of the powerful Narendra Modi ministry in the state and rising star in politics, wants to return to active politics, the saffron party will definitely assign work to her.

    On Thursday, Kodnani, 68, was acquitted by a special court in the February 28, 2002, Naroda Gam riots case in which 11 members of a minority community were burnt to death and their houses set on fire by a mob enraged by the burning of Sabarmati Express train near Godhra a day earlier that killed 59 passengers.

    This was the second and final riots case in which she was named an accused.

    Earlier, the only BJP minister named in the violence was cleared in the Naroda Patiya case.

    “Kodnani is an active worker and participates in party functions. It is her personal choice whether she wants to take part in active politics,” said a senior BJP leader.

    “It is up to her to decide whether she wants to remain active in politics. If she does, then the party will definitely assign her work,” he said.

    ALSO READ | ‘Naroda Gam massacre verdict is a murder of judiciary’, say victims who saw lives being snuffed out

    Before her acquittal in the Naroda Gam case, Kodnani was in April 2018 cleared by the Gujarat High Court in the 2002 Naroda Patiya massacre.

    As many as 97 people were killed during riots in Ahmedabad’s Naroda Patiya area and in the case she was dubbed a “kingpin” by a special court that sentenced her to life imprisonment in August 2012, but the verdict was overturned by the HC.

    Both areas are part of the Assembly constituency once represented by the BJP leader.

    Soon after her acquittal by the HC, Kodnani, an Ahmedabad resident and three-time former MLA, was seen at some of the BJP functions in the state.

    During the campaign for the December 2022 Assembly elections, the former MLA was spotted at BJP functions, sharing dais with top party leadership where she was greeted with zeal.

    Kodnani, facing the twin riots cases, was forced to resign as Minister of State for Women and Child Development in the then-Narendra Modi government after the Gujarat High Court rejected her anticipatory bail on March 27, 2009.

    Following this, she surrendered before the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to further investigate the 2002 Godhra train carnage and eight other riots cases, including those reported in Ahmedabad’s Naroda Gam and Naroda Patiya in which she was made an accused.

    The BJP leader was a sitting MLA when she was sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court in the Naroda Patiya massacre case in 2012.

    Kodnani began her political career by helming the Ahmedabad BJP Mahila Morcha and getting elected as a councillor of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and then chairperson of the civic body’s standing committee in the 1990s.

    A gynaecologist by training, Kodnani was seen as a rising star among women leaders of the BJP.

    She entered the Assembly for the first time in 1998 when she was elected from the Naroda constituency in Ahmedabad, defeating the Congress candidate by a huge margin of more than 74,500 votes.

    After the 2002 riots, she won the same seat by a bigger margin of more than 1 lakh votes in the Assembly election held in December that year.

    In 2003, the BJP elevated her as the president of the party’s Ahmedabad unit.

    She went on to win the Assembly elections for the third term from Naroda in 2007, this time by an even bigger margin of more than 1.80 lakh votes, further raising her stature in the saffron party.

    After her third victory, she was rewarded with a ministership in the state’s Modi government.

    Kodnani was made Minister of State for Women and Child Development and Higher Education, but her political career suffered a setback when she was arraigned in the two riots cases by the SC-appointed SIT and had to resign in 2009.

    AHMEDABAD: With her acquittal in the second and last case against her in the 2002 riots cases, doors are now open for former Bharatiya Janata Party minister Maya Kodnani to stage a comeback in Gujarat’s active politics, a decade after her political graph nosedived following allegations related to the post-Godhra communal violence.

    Gujarat BJP leaders on Friday said if the physician-turned-politician, once a member of the powerful Narendra Modi ministry in the state and rising star in politics, wants to return to active politics, the saffron party will definitely assign work to her.

    On Thursday, Kodnani, 68, was acquitted by a special court in the February 28, 2002, Naroda Gam riots case in which 11 members of a minority community were burnt to death and their houses set on fire by a mob enraged by the burning of Sabarmati Express train near Godhra a day earlier that killed 59 passengers.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    This was the second and final riots case in which she was named an accused.

    Earlier, the only BJP minister named in the violence was cleared in the Naroda Patiya case.

    “Kodnani is an active worker and participates in party functions. It is her personal choice whether she wants to take part in active politics,” said a senior BJP leader.

    “It is up to her to decide whether she wants to remain active in politics. If she does, then the party will definitely assign her work,” he said.

    ALSO READ | ‘Naroda Gam massacre verdict is a murder of judiciary’, say victims who saw lives being snuffed out

    Before her acquittal in the Naroda Gam case, Kodnani was in April 2018 cleared by the Gujarat High Court in the 2002 Naroda Patiya massacre.

    As many as 97 people were killed during riots in Ahmedabad’s Naroda Patiya area and in the case she was dubbed a “kingpin” by a special court that sentenced her to life imprisonment in August 2012, but the verdict was overturned by the HC.

    Both areas are part of the Assembly constituency once represented by the BJP leader.

    Soon after her acquittal by the HC, Kodnani, an Ahmedabad resident and three-time former MLA, was seen at some of the BJP functions in the state.

    During the campaign for the December 2022 Assembly elections, the former MLA was spotted at BJP functions, sharing dais with top party leadership where she was greeted with zeal.

    Kodnani, facing the twin riots cases, was forced to resign as Minister of State for Women and Child Development in the then-Narendra Modi government after the Gujarat High Court rejected her anticipatory bail on March 27, 2009.

    Following this, she surrendered before the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to further investigate the 2002 Godhra train carnage and eight other riots cases, including those reported in Ahmedabad’s Naroda Gam and Naroda Patiya in which she was made an accused.

    The BJP leader was a sitting MLA when she was sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court in the Naroda Patiya massacre case in 2012.

    Kodnani began her political career by helming the Ahmedabad BJP Mahila Morcha and getting elected as a councillor of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and then chairperson of the civic body’s standing committee in the 1990s.

    A gynaecologist by training, Kodnani was seen as a rising star among women leaders of the BJP.

    She entered the Assembly for the first time in 1998 when she was elected from the Naroda constituency in Ahmedabad, defeating the Congress candidate by a huge margin of more than 74,500 votes.

    After the 2002 riots, she won the same seat by a bigger margin of more than 1 lakh votes in the Assembly election held in December that year.

    In 2003, the BJP elevated her as the president of the party’s Ahmedabad unit.

    She went on to win the Assembly elections for the third term from Naroda in 2007, this time by an even bigger margin of more than 1.80 lakh votes, further raising her stature in the saffron party.

    After her third victory, she was rewarded with a ministership in the state’s Modi government.

    Kodnani was made Minister of State for Women and Child Development and Higher Education, but her political career suffered a setback when she was arraigned in the two riots cases by the SC-appointed SIT and had to resign in 2009.

  • US-Canada border migrants death: Gujarat man claims four of deceased are kin

    By PTI

    MEHSANA: A family in Mehsana district in Gujarat believes the Indians who were among the eight who died while trying to cross into the United States of America from Canada recently are their kin.

    Jasubhai Chaudhary, a resident of Manekpur village in Vijapur taluka here, on Sunday said his brother, sister-in-law and their two children had left for Canada two months ago on a visitors’ visa, adding reports of eight persons, including some Indians, being found in a marsh there had vexed kin here.

    Canadian police have said the deceased, who was found on the banks of the St Lawrence River near Akwesasne, a community that straddles Quebec, Ontario and New York State, is believed to be two families of Indian and Romanian descent and were crossing into the USA.

    “Two months ago, my brother, his wife and two children went to Canada on a visitors’ visa. Yesterday morning I learnt about the death of members of a family from India in Canada. I tried to contact my brother but was not able to do so. This caused suspicion that they were our family members,” Chaudhary told reporters.

    A Mehsana district administration official said Malekpura village residents approached the collector with a request to make arrangements for the bodies of the four deceased to be brought back to their native village.

    “It is confirmed that four members of a family from Manekpur village in Vijapur taluka of Mehsana went to Canada on a visitor’s visa and tried to cross the river.

    ALSO READ | Canada migrant death toll at 8; four victims include a family from Gujarat’s Mehsana

    The villagers approached us seeking help to bring back their bodies, which we have reported to the state government,” the official said.

    Chaudhary said the family’s suspicion was confirmed after they found that the names of the victims circulating on Whatsapp groups of his relatives settled in Canada were that of his brother, wife and two children.

    He identified the four who left for Canada Praveeni Chaudhary (50), his wife Diksha (45), son Meet (20), and his daughter Vidhi (24).

    Former state home minister Vipul Chaudhary told reporters the government should make arrangements for the bodies of the victims to be brought back here, and termed it a very sad and shocking incident.

    If something untoward of this sort happens, then the government must ensure the bodies are brought back, the former minister added.

    On January 19 last year, four members of a family from Dingucha village in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar froze to death while trying to illegally cross into the USA from Canada.

    MEHSANA: A family in Mehsana district in Gujarat believes the Indians who were among the eight who died while trying to cross into the United States of America from Canada recently are their kin.

    Jasubhai Chaudhary, a resident of Manekpur village in Vijapur taluka here, on Sunday said his brother, sister-in-law and their two children had left for Canada two months ago on a visitors’ visa, adding reports of eight persons, including some Indians, being found in a marsh there had vexed kin here.

    Canadian police have said the deceased, who was found on the banks of the St Lawrence River near Akwesasne, a community that straddles Quebec, Ontario and New York State, is believed to be two families of Indian and Romanian descent and were crossing into the USA.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });

    “Two months ago, my brother, his wife and two children went to Canada on a visitors’ visa. Yesterday morning I learnt about the death of members of a family from India in Canada. I tried to contact my brother but was not able to do so. This caused suspicion that they were our family members,” Chaudhary told reporters.

    A Mehsana district administration official said Malekpura village residents approached the collector with a request to make arrangements for the bodies of the four deceased to be brought back to their native village.

    “It is confirmed that four members of a family from Manekpur village in Vijapur taluka of Mehsana went to Canada on a visitor’s visa and tried to cross the river.

    ALSO READ | Canada migrant death toll at 8; four victims include a family from Gujarat’s Mehsana

    The villagers approached us seeking help to bring back their bodies, which we have reported to the state government,” the official said.

    Chaudhary said the family’s suspicion was confirmed after they found that the names of the victims circulating on Whatsapp groups of his relatives settled in Canada were that of his brother, wife and two children.

    He identified the four who left for Canada Praveeni Chaudhary (50), his wife Diksha (45), son Meet (20), and his daughter Vidhi (24).

    Former state home minister Vipul Chaudhary told reporters the government should make arrangements for the bodies of the victims to be brought back here, and termed it a very sad and shocking incident.

    If something untoward of this sort happens, then the government must ensure the bodies are brought back, the former minister added.

    On January 19 last year, four members of a family from Dingucha village in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar froze to death while trying to illegally cross into the USA from Canada.

  • Gujarat: Sanitation worker, contractor die after inhaling poisonous gas while cleaning sewer line

    By PTI

    RAJKOT: A sanitation worker and a contractor of the civic body in Gujarat’s Rajkot died due to asphyxiation while cleaning an underground drainage line on Tuesday, police said.

    Mehul Mehda (24), a sanitation worker, entered the underground sewer in Samrat industrial area and fainted after inhaling poisonous gases, an official from Malaviya police station said.

    The contractor Afzal Kukur (42), who was present at the spot, immediately entered the sewer to rescue Mehda, but he too fell unconscious, he said.

    The duo were taken out with the help of the fire brigade and shifted to the civil hospital, where the doctors declared them dead, the official said.

    The sanitation worker was carrying out routine cleaning work of the sewer when he and the contractor died due to asphyxiation.

    The civic body will probe into the incident, Rajkot Municipal Corporation city engineer H M Kotak said.

    “A machine was being used for cleaning and the victim apparently inhaled poisonous gas while fitting the machine. We are getting the exact information as to how it happened,” Kotak said.

    Notably, the state government had last week informed the legislative Assembly that 11 sanitation workers died of asphyxiation while cleaning drains in different parts of the state in the last two years.

    While seven of them died between January 2021 and January 2022, four lost their lives between January 2022 and January 2023, Gujarat Social and Justice and Empowerment Minister Bhanuben Babariya had said.

    The government has paid Rs 10 lakh as compensation to their kin, she said.

    The minister also said that the state’s urban local bodies and panchayats have been directed to strictly follow provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.

    RAJKOT: A sanitation worker and a contractor of the civic body in Gujarat’s Rajkot died due to asphyxiation while cleaning an underground drainage line on Tuesday, police said.

    Mehul Mehda (24), a sanitation worker, entered the underground sewer in Samrat industrial area and fainted after inhaling poisonous gases, an official from Malaviya police station said.

    The contractor Afzal Kukur (42), who was present at the spot, immediately entered the sewer to rescue Mehda, but he too fell unconscious, he said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The duo were taken out with the help of the fire brigade and shifted to the civil hospital, where the doctors declared them dead, the official said.

    The sanitation worker was carrying out routine cleaning work of the sewer when he and the contractor died due to asphyxiation.

    The civic body will probe into the incident, Rajkot Municipal Corporation city engineer H M Kotak said.

    “A machine was being used for cleaning and the victim apparently inhaled poisonous gas while fitting the machine. We are getting the exact information as to how it happened,” Kotak said.

    Notably, the state government had last week informed the legislative Assembly that 11 sanitation workers died of asphyxiation while cleaning drains in different parts of the state in the last two years.

    While seven of them died between January 2021 and January 2022, four lost their lives between January 2022 and January 2023, Gujarat Social and Justice and Empowerment Minister Bhanuben Babariya had said.

    The government has paid Rs 10 lakh as compensation to their kin, she said.

    The minister also said that the state’s urban local bodies and panchayats have been directed to strictly follow provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.

  • Gujarat govt spends Rs 20 crore on maintenance of aircraft bought for Rs 198 crore in 2019

    Express News Service

    AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat government reported to the state Assembly on Friday that it has spent Rs 20.8 crore for operation and maintenance in over two years on a new aircraft that the government purchased for Rs 198 crore in November 2019.

    Minister of Civil Aviation Balvantsinh Rajput was responding to starred questions posed by Congress MLAs Imran Khedawala and Arjun Modhwadia. In two years leading up to December 31, 2022, the state government reported spending a total of Rs 36 crore on the operation and maintenance of the two airplanes and a helicopter it owns.

    For the operation and maintenance of the twin-engine Bombardier Challenger 650, which was purchased in November 2019 for Rs 197.90 crore, the government paid two private agencies Rs 20.80 crore for a two-year period, ending December 31, 2022. As of January 31, 2023, the aircraft had travelled 183 times, it stated. The Minister said that between January 31, 2023, and the end of the second year, 486 journeys were made using the state’s two airplanes and one helicopter.

    In two years, the government spent Rs 7.4 crore on the chopper and Rs 8.04 crore on the operating and upkeep of the older jet. The CM and other dignitaries were given access to the posh Bombardier Challenger 650. According to civil aviation department authorities, it can transport 12 passengers and has a flying range of about 7,000 km, which is far higher than the outdated Beechcraft Super King aircraft that had been in operation for 20 years.

    House resolution seeks tough action against BBC docuThe Gujarat Assembly on Friday passed a resolution urging the Centre to act against BBC for tarnishing the image and popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with its documentary on the 2002 riots in the state. 

    The two-part series by the BBC titled ‘India: The Modi Question’ misrepresents the events of 2002 in a malicious and low-level attempt to tarnish India’s image globally, BJP MLA Vipul Patel said in the House while moving the resolution. 

    The documentary claims to have probed certain aspects of the riots, which took place after the Godhra train-burning incident when Modi was the state CM. The documentary was banned in India soon after its release.  Patel’s resolution was supported by BJP MLAs Manisha Vakil, Amit Thaker, Dhavalsinh Zala and minister Harsh Sanghavi. ENS

    AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat government reported to the state Assembly on Friday that it has spent Rs 20.8 crore for operation and maintenance in over two years on a new aircraft that the government purchased for Rs 198 crore in November 2019.

    Minister of Civil Aviation Balvantsinh Rajput was responding to starred questions posed by Congress MLAs Imran Khedawala and Arjun Modhwadia. In two years leading up to December 31, 2022, the state government reported spending a total of Rs 36 crore on the operation and maintenance of the two airplanes and a helicopter it owns.

    For the operation and maintenance of the twin-engine Bombardier Challenger 650, which was purchased in November 2019 for Rs 197.90 crore, the government paid two private agencies Rs 20.80 crore for a two-year period, ending December 31, 2022. As of January 31, 2023, the aircraft had travelled 183 times, it stated. The Minister said that between January 31, 2023, and the end of the second year, 486 journeys were made using the state’s two airplanes and one helicopter.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    In two years, the government spent Rs 7.4 crore on the chopper and Rs 8.04 crore on the operating and upkeep of the older jet. The CM and other dignitaries were given access to the posh Bombardier Challenger 650. According to civil aviation department authorities, it can transport 12 passengers and has a flying range of about 7,000 km, which is far higher than the outdated Beechcraft Super King aircraft that had been in operation for 20 years.

    House resolution seeks tough action against BBC docu
    The Gujarat Assembly on Friday passed a resolution urging the Centre to act against BBC for tarnishing the image and popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with its documentary on the 2002 riots in the state. 

    The two-part series by the BBC titled ‘India: The Modi Question’ misrepresents the events of 2002 in a malicious and low-level attempt to tarnish India’s image globally, BJP MLA Vipul Patel said in the House while moving the resolution. 

    The documentary claims to have probed certain aspects of the riots, which took place after the Godhra train-burning incident when Modi was the state CM. The documentary was banned in India soon after its release.  Patel’s resolution was supported by BJP MLAs Manisha Vakil, Amit Thaker, Dhavalsinh Zala and minister Harsh Sanghavi. ENS

  • Storm in Gujarat BJP as several district chiefs quit party post

    Express News Service

    AHMEDABAD:  After winning 156 seats in assembly elections in December last year, the BJP is now witnessing the resignations of city and district chiefs one after another. On Wednesday, four district and city chiefs resigned. Presidents of Mehsana, Botad, Bhavnagar district and Bhavnagar city resigned.

    According to sources, this chief was asked to resign due to complaints and an internal dispute. A press release issued by BJP said: “The presidents of Mehsana, Botad, Bhavnagar district, and Bhavnagar city have voluntarily resigned due to personal reasons, indicating an inability to handle the responsibility, so the organisation body of Mehsana, Botad, Bhavnagar district, and Bhavnagar city has been dissolved.”

    Earlier this month, the presidents of districts of Banaskantha, Devbhumi Dwarka, Amreli, Surendranagar, Vadodara and Kheda were changed.

    BJP stated in the press release that they are the functionaries who were unable to accept the responsibility due to personal reasons. According to sources close to the party, the city and district presidents who resigned did not do so voluntarily; instead, they were asked to do so by the party after receiving complaints from local organisations. While some of them were also allegedly engaged in anti-party activity during the assembly elections so they were asked to resign, a source said.

    “Resignations have been taken in some places because the party promised to give positions to some angry leaders who were willing to leave the party during the assembly elections,” a source said. It is worth noting that the Gujarat BJP appointed former MLA Satish Patel as Vadodara president, despite being reportedly in a rebellious mood ahead of the assembly elections after the party denied him a ticket.

    BJP spokesperson Yamal Vyas told the media that “many presidents have been elected as MLAs so that they can do their work better as people’s representatives, and they want to stay among the people, whereas the BJP’s district president’s responsibility is full-time, and the city/district organisation is constantly working. As a result, it is difficult to work both positions, and those who felt they needed to devote more time as public representatives have resigned.”

    AHMEDABAD:  After winning 156 seats in assembly elections in December last year, the BJP is now witnessing the resignations of city and district chiefs one after another. On Wednesday, four district and city chiefs resigned. Presidents of Mehsana, Botad, Bhavnagar district and Bhavnagar city resigned.

    According to sources, this chief was asked to resign due to complaints and an internal dispute. A press release issued by BJP said: “The presidents of Mehsana, Botad, Bhavnagar district, and Bhavnagar city have voluntarily resigned due to personal reasons, indicating an inability to handle the responsibility, so the organisation body of Mehsana, Botad, Bhavnagar district, and Bhavnagar city has been dissolved.”

    Earlier this month, the presidents of districts of Banaskantha, Devbhumi Dwarka, Amreli, Surendranagar, Vadodara and Kheda were changed.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    BJP stated in the press release that they are the functionaries who were unable to accept the responsibility due to personal reasons. According to sources close to the party, the city and district presidents who resigned did not do so voluntarily; instead, they were asked to do so by the party after receiving complaints from local organisations. While some of them were also allegedly engaged in anti-party activity during the assembly elections so they were asked to resign, a source said.

    “Resignations have been taken in some places because the party promised to give positions to some angry leaders who were willing to leave the party during the assembly elections,” a source said. It is worth noting that the Gujarat BJP appointed former MLA Satish Patel as Vadodara president, despite being reportedly in a rebellious mood ahead of the assembly elections after the party denied him a ticket.

    BJP spokesperson Yamal Vyas told the media that “many presidents have been elected as MLAs so that they can do their work better as people’s representatives, and they want to stay among the people, whereas the BJP’s district president’s responsibility is full-time, and the city/district organisation is constantly working. As a result, it is difficult to work both positions, and those who felt they needed to devote more time as public representatives have resigned.”

  • Morbi bridge crash: Oreva Group offers to pay Rs 5 crore compensation to victims 

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: Clock manufacturing firm Oreva Group on Tuesday made an offer before the Gujarat High Court to pay an ‘interim’ compensation totalling Rs 5 crore to the kin of those who lost their lives and people left injured when a British-era suspension bridge maintained and operated by the firm collapsed in Morbi town in October last year.

    However, the court said the compensation offered by the company was not “just”.

    The suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Morbi town collapsed on October 30 last year, killing 135 persons and injuring 56 others.

    The assurance on ‘interim’ compensation was given in the HC by Ajanta Manufacturing Ltd (Oreva Group) during hearing of a suo motu (on its own) PIL admitted last year following the tragedy.

    Senior advocate Nirupam Nanavaty, appearing for Oreva Group, told the court if the compensation is broadly divided among the affected persons, the kin of the deceased should get nearly Rs 3.5 lakh while the injured will get Rs 1 lakh each, which according to the HC, was not “just”.

    “Is it just? You volunteered to pay a just compensation.

    Is it just according to you? This is not near to just compensation,” noted a division bench of Chief Justice Sonia Gokani and Justice Sandeep Bhatt.

    The bench posted the further hearing on Wednesday and asked Nanavaty to take instructions from his client on whether the company would pay more compensation in the future because this payout has been termed as “not final”.

    The bench had earlier made it clear that Oreva’s offer of compensation “will not absolve it of any liability”.

    Oreva Group, led by its MD Jaysukh Patel, was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the bridge with a special investigation team (SIT) formed by the state government citing several lapses on the part of the firm.

    Nanavaty informed the court that the amount of Rs 5 crore is “ad-hoc” and “interim”.

    He said Oreva Group “will deposit Rs 5 crore to the Gujarat government within two weeks and state can determine what amount is to be paid to the injured or to the kin of the deceased” Moreover, the corporate entity has taken full responsibility for seven children who have lost both their parents in the tragedy, said Nanavaty.

    These seven children will get all the required facilities such as residence and education, till they become majors.

    The company would also give them jobs as per their qualifications, said the senior advocate.

    Advocate General Kamal Trivedi informed the court that the state as well as the Centre have so far paid a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to each injured person.

    The Morbi police have arrested ten accused, including Oreva Group MD Jaysukh Patel, under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 336 (act which endangers human life), 337 (causing hurt to any person by doing any rash or negligent act) and under 338 (causing grievous hurt by doing rash or negligent act).

    AHMEDABAD: Clock manufacturing firm Oreva Group on Tuesday made an offer before the Gujarat High Court to pay an ‘interim’ compensation totalling Rs 5 crore to the kin of those who lost their lives and people left injured when a British-era suspension bridge maintained and operated by the firm collapsed in Morbi town in October last year.

    However, the court said the compensation offered by the company was not “just”.

    The suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Morbi town collapsed on October 30 last year, killing 135 persons and injuring 56 others.

    The assurance on ‘interim’ compensation was given in the HC by Ajanta Manufacturing Ltd (Oreva Group) during hearing of a suo motu (on its own) PIL admitted last year following the tragedy.

    Senior advocate Nirupam Nanavaty, appearing for Oreva Group, told the court if the compensation is broadly divided among the affected persons, the kin of the deceased should get nearly Rs 3.5 lakh while the injured will get Rs 1 lakh each, which according to the HC, was not “just”.

    “Is it just? You volunteered to pay a just compensation.

    Is it just according to you? This is not near to just compensation,” noted a division bench of Chief Justice Sonia Gokani and Justice Sandeep Bhatt.

    The bench posted the further hearing on Wednesday and asked Nanavaty to take instructions from his client on whether the company would pay more compensation in the future because this payout has been termed as “not final”.

    The bench had earlier made it clear that Oreva’s offer of compensation “will not absolve it of any liability”.

    Oreva Group, led by its MD Jaysukh Patel, was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the bridge with a special investigation team (SIT) formed by the state government citing several lapses on the part of the firm.

    Nanavaty informed the court that the amount of Rs 5 crore is “ad-hoc” and “interim”.

    He said Oreva Group “will deposit Rs 5 crore to the Gujarat government within two weeks and state can determine what amount is to be paid to the injured or to the kin of the deceased” Moreover, the corporate entity has taken full responsibility for seven children who have lost both their parents in the tragedy, said Nanavaty.

    These seven children will get all the required facilities such as residence and education, till they become majors.

    The company would also give them jobs as per their qualifications, said the senior advocate.

    Advocate General Kamal Trivedi informed the court that the state as well as the Centre have so far paid a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to each injured person.

    The Morbi police have arrested ten accused, including Oreva Group MD Jaysukh Patel, under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 336 (act which endangers human life), 337 (causing hurt to any person by doing any rash or negligent act) and under 338 (causing grievous hurt by doing rash or negligent act).

  • Corroded wires, welded suspenders behind Morbi bridge tragedy: SIT in preliminary probe report

    By PTI

    MORBI: Gujarat government-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) has found in its preliminary probe that corrosion on nearly half of the wires on a cable and welding of old suspenders with new ones were some of the major faults that led to the collapse of the suspension bridge in Morbi last year in which 135 people were killed.

    These findings are part of the ‘Preliminary Report on Morbi Bridge Incident’ submitted by the five-member SIT in December 2022.

    The report was recently shared with the Morbi Municipality by the state Urban Development Department.

    Ajanta Manufacturing Limited (Oreva Group) was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the British-era suspension bridge on the Machchu river that collapsed on October 30 last year.

    The SIT had found several lapses in repairs, maintenance and operation of the bridge.

    IAS officer Rajkumar Beniwal, IPS officer Subhash Trivedi, a secretary and a chief engineer from the state Roads and Building Department and a professor of structural engineering were members of the SIT.

    The SIT noted that of the two main cables of the bridge, built by the erstwhile rulers in 1887 over river Machchhu, one cable was having issues of corrosion and nearly half of its wires “may be already broken” even before the cable snapped on October 30 evening.

    According to the SIT, the main cable on the upstream side of the river snapped, leading to the tragedy.

    Each cable was formed by seven strands, each comprising seven steel wires.

    A total of 49 wires were clubbed together in seven strands to form this cable, the SIT report said.

    “It was observed that out of the 49 wires (of that cable), 22 were corroded, which indicates that those wires may have already broken before the incident. The remaining 27 wires recently broke,” the SIT said in its report.

    The SIT also found that during the renovation work, “old suspenders (steel rods which connect the cable with the platform deck) were welded with the new suspenders. Hence the behaviour of suspenders changed. In these types of bridges, single rod suspenders should be used to bear the load”.

    Notably, the Morbi Municipality, without the approval of the general board, had awarded the contract to maintain and operate the bridge to Oreva Group (Ajanta Manufacturing Limited), which closed the bridge in March 2022 for renovation and opened it on October 26 without any prior approval or inspection.

    According to the SIT, there were nearly 300 persons on the bridge at the time of the collapse, which was “far more” than the load-bearing capacity of the bridge.

    It, however, said the actual capacity of the bridge will be confirmed by laboratory reports.

    The probe report also pointed out that replacing individual wooden planks with an aluminium deck also played a role in the collapse.

    “Walking structure was made up of rigid aluminium panels instead of flexible wooden planks.

    If there were individual wooden planks (which were there before renovation), the number of casualties could have been lower.

    Moreover, no load test or structure test was conducted before opening the bridge,” it added.

    The aluminium honeycomb panels were fixed without any gap in between, which makes the deck less flexible to deform in its own plane, said the SIT, adding that the use of aluminium could have increased the overall weight of the bridge too.

    Morbi police have already arrested ten accused, including Oreva Group’s MD Jaysukh Patel, under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 336 (act which endangers human life), 337 (causing hurt to any person by doing any rash or negligent act) and under 338 (causing grievous hurt by doing rash or negligent act).

    MORBI: Gujarat government-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) has found in its preliminary probe that corrosion on nearly half of the wires on a cable and welding of old suspenders with new ones were some of the major faults that led to the collapse of the suspension bridge in Morbi last year in which 135 people were killed.

    These findings are part of the ‘Preliminary Report on Morbi Bridge Incident’ submitted by the five-member SIT in December 2022.

    The report was recently shared with the Morbi Municipality by the state Urban Development Department.

    Ajanta Manufacturing Limited (Oreva Group) was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the British-era suspension bridge on the Machchu river that collapsed on October 30 last year.

    The SIT had found several lapses in repairs, maintenance and operation of the bridge.

    IAS officer Rajkumar Beniwal, IPS officer Subhash Trivedi, a secretary and a chief engineer from the state Roads and Building Department and a professor of structural engineering were members of the SIT.

    The SIT noted that of the two main cables of the bridge, built by the erstwhile rulers in 1887 over river Machchhu, one cable was having issues of corrosion and nearly half of its wires “may be already broken” even before the cable snapped on October 30 evening.

    According to the SIT, the main cable on the upstream side of the river snapped, leading to the tragedy.

    Each cable was formed by seven strands, each comprising seven steel wires.

    A total of 49 wires were clubbed together in seven strands to form this cable, the SIT report said.

    “It was observed that out of the 49 wires (of that cable), 22 were corroded, which indicates that those wires may have already broken before the incident. The remaining 27 wires recently broke,” the SIT said in its report.

    The SIT also found that during the renovation work, “old suspenders (steel rods which connect the cable with the platform deck) were welded with the new suspenders. Hence the behaviour of suspenders changed. In these types of bridges, single rod suspenders should be used to bear the load”.

    Notably, the Morbi Municipality, without the approval of the general board, had awarded the contract to maintain and operate the bridge to Oreva Group (Ajanta Manufacturing Limited), which closed the bridge in March 2022 for renovation and opened it on October 26 without any prior approval or inspection.

    According to the SIT, there were nearly 300 persons on the bridge at the time of the collapse, which was “far more” than the load-bearing capacity of the bridge.

    It, however, said the actual capacity of the bridge will be confirmed by laboratory reports.

    The probe report also pointed out that replacing individual wooden planks with an aluminium deck also played a role in the collapse.

    “Walking structure was made up of rigid aluminium panels instead of flexible wooden planks.

    If there were individual wooden planks (which were there before renovation), the number of casualties could have been lower.

    Moreover, no load test or structure test was conducted before opening the bridge,” it added.

    The aluminium honeycomb panels were fixed without any gap in between, which makes the deck less flexible to deform in its own plane, said the SIT, adding that the use of aluminium could have increased the overall weight of the bridge too.

    Morbi police have already arrested ten accused, including Oreva Group’s MD Jaysukh Patel, under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 336 (act which endangers human life), 337 (causing hurt to any person by doing any rash or negligent act) and under 338 (causing grievous hurt by doing rash or negligent act).

  • Gujarat government plan to introduce new bill to prevent paper leak

    Express News Service

    AHMEDABAD: After a streak of exam paper leaks in Gujarat, the government Plan to take decisive action to prevent such occurrences. In order to tackle the issue of exam paper leakage in government recruitment exams, the Gujarat government has decided to introduce a strict law. The details of this Bill will be revealed in the Budget session of the Gujarat Assembly. said Government Spokes Person and Minister Rushikesh Patel on Wednesday. 

    Addressing a Press in Gandhinagar, Cabinet Minister Rushikesh Patel said, “State government officials are engaged in preparations to introduce a law to curb the menace of paper leak. Government Planning Bill will be passed in the upcoming budget assembly session.”

    “Gujarat ATS launched an investigation as soon as news of the junior clerk exam paper leak emerged. The exam was canceled to avoid any unfairness, Gujarat ATS arrested 15 suspects. Efforts to make the law have been going on for three-four months. The legislation will be passed in the upcoming assembly Session. Not only this, the law will provide for strict action against the accused who leak the papers,” he further said.

    “Bill will provide necessary legal framework and deterrence. This move will be beneficial in curbing the problem of paper leaks,” he added.

    Just four days ago on Sunday, the GPSSB (Gujarat Panchayat Service Selection Board) had to postpone the Junior Clerk examination due to its question paper being leaked. In response to the Paper leak incident, the Opposition has called for tougher action to address the problem. various student organization andpolitical parties like Aam Admi Party and Congress is still protesting across the state demanding strict action against the accused of a Paper leak.

    The GPSSB advertised for 1,181 junior clerks and received 9.53 lakh applications in response. On Sunday, the exam was to be held at 2,995 locations across the state. GPSSB had stated that the exam had been postponed after the GPSSB received information from the police that they had detained a suspect and seized a copy of the question paper early on Sunday.

    AHMEDABAD: After a streak of exam paper leaks in Gujarat, the government Plan to take decisive action to prevent such occurrences. In order to tackle the issue of exam paper leakage in government recruitment exams, the Gujarat government has decided to introduce a strict law. The details of this Bill will be revealed in the Budget session of the Gujarat Assembly. said Government Spokes Person and Minister Rushikesh Patel on Wednesday. 

    Addressing a Press in Gandhinagar, Cabinet Minister Rushikesh Patel said, “State government officials are engaged in preparations to introduce a law to curb the menace of paper leak. Government Planning Bill will be passed in the upcoming budget assembly session.”

    “Gujarat ATS launched an investigation as soon as news of the junior clerk exam paper leak emerged. The exam was canceled to avoid any unfairness, Gujarat ATS arrested 15 suspects. Efforts to make the law have been going on for three-four months. The legislation will be passed in the upcoming assembly Session. Not only this, the law will provide for strict action against the accused who leak the papers,” he further said.

    “Bill will provide necessary legal framework and deterrence. This move will be beneficial in curbing the problem of paper leaks,” he added.

    Just four days ago on Sunday, the GPSSB (Gujarat Panchayat Service Selection Board) had to postpone the Junior Clerk examination due to its question paper being leaked. In response to the Paper leak incident, the Opposition has called for tougher action to address the problem. various student organization and
    political parties like Aam Admi Party and Congress is still protesting across the state demanding strict action against the accused of a Paper leak.

    The GPSSB advertised for 1,181 junior clerks and received 9.53 lakh applications in response. On Sunday, the exam was to be held at 2,995 locations across the state. GPSSB had stated that the exam had been postponed after the GPSSB received information from the police that they had detained a suspect and seized a copy of the question paper early on Sunday.

  • 2002 Godhra riots case: Supreme Court seeks Gujarat govt’s response on convicts’ bail pleas

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday sought the Gujarat government’s response on the bail pleas of some convicts sentenced to life imprisonment in the 2002 Godhra train coach-burning case.

    A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud was told by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared in the matter on behalf of the Gujarat government, that it was not “merely a stone-pelting” case as the convicts had bolted a bogey of the Sabarmati Express, leading to the death of several passengers on the train.

    “Some are saying their role was just stone pelting. But when you lock a bogey from outside, light it on fire and then pelt stones, it is not just stone pelting,” the top law officer told the bench, also comprising justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala.

    “Alright, you examine this. We will list (the bail pleas) after two weeks,” the bench told Mehta.

    Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, appearing in the court on behalf of some of the convicts, said the state government has filed appeals in the cases of convicts whose death penalty was commuted to life sentence by the Gujarat High Court.

    The court then issued a notice to the state government on the bail pleas of Abdul Raheman Dhantia alias Kankatto, Abdul Sattar Ibrahim Gaddi Asla and others.

    On December 15, the top court had granted bail to convict Faruk, who was serving a life sentence in the 2002 Godhra train coach-burning case, noting that he was in jail for 17 years.

    The solicitor general had opposed the plea by describing the offence as the “most heinous” one in which 59 people, including women and children, were burnt alive.

    Moreover, stones were hurled at fire tenders as well, he had said. The law officer had rather sought the hearing of the convicts’ appeals at the earliest.

    “The high court had dismissed his appeal on October 9, 2017. The applicant has sought bail on the ground that he has been in custody since 2004 and has undergone imprisonment for about 17 years. In view of the facts and circumstances of the case and the role attributed to the applicant, we direct the applicant to be granted bail, subject to such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the sessions (trial) court,” the apex court had said in its bail order.

    The appeals against the conviction of several convicts are pending adjudication in the Supreme Court.

    Faruk, along with several others, was convicted for pelting stones at a coach of the Sabarmati Express.

    On February 27, 2002, 59 people were killed when the S-6 coach of the train was burnt at Gujarat’s Godhra, triggering riots in the state.

    In its October 2017 judgment, the high court commuted the death sentence awarded to 11 convicts in the Godhra train coach-burning case to life imprisonment.

    It had upheld the life sentence awarded to 20 other convicts.

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday sought the Gujarat government’s response on the bail pleas of some convicts sentenced to life imprisonment in the 2002 Godhra train coach-burning case.

    A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud was told by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared in the matter on behalf of the Gujarat government, that it was not “merely a stone-pelting” case as the convicts had bolted a bogey of the Sabarmati Express, leading to the death of several passengers on the train.

    “Some are saying their role was just stone pelting. But when you lock a bogey from outside, light it on fire and then pelt stones, it is not just stone pelting,” the top law officer told the bench, also comprising justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala.

    “Alright, you examine this. We will list (the bail pleas) after two weeks,” the bench told Mehta.

    Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, appearing in the court on behalf of some of the convicts, said the state government has filed appeals in the cases of convicts whose death penalty was commuted to life sentence by the Gujarat High Court.

    The court then issued a notice to the state government on the bail pleas of Abdul Raheman Dhantia alias Kankatto, Abdul Sattar Ibrahim Gaddi Asla and others.

    On December 15, the top court had granted bail to convict Faruk, who was serving a life sentence in the 2002 Godhra train coach-burning case, noting that he was in jail for 17 years.

    The solicitor general had opposed the plea by describing the offence as the “most heinous” one in which 59 people, including women and children, were burnt alive.

    Moreover, stones were hurled at fire tenders as well, he had said. The law officer had rather sought the hearing of the convicts’ appeals at the earliest.

    “The high court had dismissed his appeal on October 9, 2017. The applicant has sought bail on the ground that he has been in custody since 2004 and has undergone imprisonment for about 17 years. In view of the facts and circumstances of the case and the role attributed to the applicant, we direct the applicant to be granted bail, subject to such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the sessions (trial) court,” the apex court had said in its bail order.

    The appeals against the conviction of several convicts are pending adjudication in the Supreme Court.

    Faruk, along with several others, was convicted for pelting stones at a coach of the Sabarmati Express.

    On February 27, 2002, 59 people were killed when the S-6 coach of the train was burnt at Gujarat’s Godhra, triggering riots in the state.

    In its October 2017 judgment, the high court commuted the death sentence awarded to 11 convicts in the Godhra train coach-burning case to life imprisonment.

    It had upheld the life sentence awarded to 20 other convicts.

  • AAP appoints Sandeep Pathak as national general secretary 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The AAP has appointed its senior leader and Rajya Sabha member Sandeep Pathak as national general secretary (organisation), after it recently became eligible for national party status.

    Pathak was the party’s election in-charge for Punjab as well as for Gujarat, where assembly polls were held this month.

    In Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) wrested the state from the Congress in polls held in March.

    Though the Arvind Kejriwal-headed AAP had won only five of the 182 seats in the Gujarat polls, it got a nearly 13 per cent vote share.

    On the party’s performance, Kejriwal had said that the AAP has not won many seats but the votes the party got helped it attain national party status.

    “The party hereby appoints Shri @SandeepPathak04 as the Rashtriya Sangathan Mahamantri (National General Secretary Organisation). He will also be a Permanent Invitee to the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of AAP. Congratulations on your new role!” the party tweeted from its official handle.

    MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENTThe party hereby appoints Shri @SandeepPathak04 as the Rashtriya Sangathan Mahamantri (National General Secretary Organisation).He will also be a Permanent Invitee to the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of AAP.Congratulations on your new role! pic.twitter.com/Zy0FIQoRXT
    — AAP (@AamAadmiParty) December 13, 2022
    Sources in the AAP also said the appointment has been made eyeing the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    Quoting provisions of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, a former Election Commission official had said that a party needs State Party status in four states to automatically become a national party.

    The AAP is already a recognised state party in Delhi, Goa and Punjab. It is in power in Delhi and Punjab. A party needs eight per cent of votes in a state to get State Party status, he had said.

    NEW DELHI: The AAP has appointed its senior leader and Rajya Sabha member Sandeep Pathak as national general secretary (organisation), after it recently became eligible for national party status.

    Pathak was the party’s election in-charge for Punjab as well as for Gujarat, where assembly polls were held this month.

    In Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) wrested the state from the Congress in polls held in March.

    Though the Arvind Kejriwal-headed AAP had won only five of the 182 seats in the Gujarat polls, it got a nearly 13 per cent vote share.

    On the party’s performance, Kejriwal had said that the AAP has not won many seats but the votes the party got helped it attain national party status.

    “The party hereby appoints Shri @SandeepPathak04 as the Rashtriya Sangathan Mahamantri (National General Secretary Organisation). He will also be a Permanent Invitee to the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of AAP. Congratulations on your new role!” the party tweeted from its official handle.

    MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT
    The party hereby appoints Shri @SandeepPathak04 as the Rashtriya Sangathan Mahamantri (National General Secretary Organisation).
    He will also be a Permanent Invitee to the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of AAP.
    Congratulations on your new role! pic.twitter.com/Zy0FIQoRXT
    — AAP (@AamAadmiParty) December 13, 2022
    Sources in the AAP also said the appointment has been made eyeing the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    Quoting provisions of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, a former Election Commission official had said that a party needs State Party status in four states to automatically become a national party.

    The AAP is already a recognised state party in Delhi, Goa and Punjab. It is in power in Delhi and Punjab. A party needs eight per cent of votes in a state to get State Party status, he had said.