The report of the Justice Susanta Chatterjee (Retired) Commission, set up by the previous Trinamool Congress government to investigate the deaths of 13 Youth Congress workers in police firing during a 1993 protest rally, did not include the statement of ex-Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Current Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari revealed that the report, kept confidential for 15 years, was presented in the West Bengal Assembly, highlighting Banerjee’s absence in providing her testimony to the Commission. The rally, led by Banerjee in 1993, saw police firing and involved notable political figures like Late Jyoti Basu and Manish Gupta.
Late Jyoti Basu, then Chief Minister, and Manish Gupta, the West Bengal Home Secretary, were key figures during the incident. Gupta, later joining Trinamool Congress, played various political roles under Mamata Banerjee’s leadership. Adhikari mentioned that Banerjee’s predecessor, Late Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, cooperated with the Commission, unlike Banerjee. The report also highlighted the lack of document submission by the previous government, leading to discrepancies in the investigation process.
Adhikari criticized the former government for not following the Commission’s compensation recommendations for the victims’ families. Despite the Commission suggesting substantial compensation amounts, the previous administration only provided a fraction of the recommended sums. Adhikari urged the affected families to file fresh complaints, promising support and proper compensation under the current government’s initiatives.
