Guj Congress demands JLC probe in Sabarmati jailbreak case

Partymen led by Shankarsinh Vaghela staged walkout after ruling BJP did not agree to their demand

The main opposition party in the Gujarat Assembly, Congress, on Thursday, demanded probe by a joint legislative committee (JLC) into the jail break attempt at Sabarmati Central prison in Ahmedabad.

The Congress led by leader of the opposition Shankarsinh Vaghela staged a walkout after the ruling BJP government did not agree to their demand and said that it would consider its demand at a later stage.

The issue was called for discussion on notice given by three Congress legislators Shailesh Parmar, Balwantsinh Rajput and Jashu Barad, under special rule 116 of the Assembly.

On February 11 the Sabarmati prison officials claimed they had foiled jailbreak attempt by the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blast accused after they found an 26-feet long tunnel dug by them behind their barracks.

The tunnel was found behind the toilet of barrack no. 4 where 14 accused in the 2008 serial blast were lodged. A high level inquiry was already on with regard to the incident and a junior level jail official has been suspended for negligence.

Vaghela through the speaker Vaju Vala urged the government to form an all party JLC to probe the  jail break attempt at Sabarmati Central prison claiming that it was a serious issue related to security of the state.

"This (BJP) government always talks of having transparency in governance. Then they should form a JLC comprising members of all parties to probe the incident," Vaghela said in the house. However, minister of state for home Rajnikant Patel took his demand as suggestion and said that the government would consider it later.

This caused a uproar in the House with Congress MLAs shouting slogans demanding JLC probe in jailbreak incident. Parmar said that the reply on the incident given by the minister was incomplete and devoid of facts.

When asked by Rajput if the government planned to take disciplinary action against any jail official over the issue, Patel denied any lapse and praised the jail officials for foiling the escape bid. "In fact it was because of the alertness and presence of mind of the jail officials that the escape attempt was foiled," the minister said.

After discussion when the government did not agree to form the JLC, Vaghela led the Congress MLAs out of the house in protest. Coming out of the house Congress MLA Shailesh Parmar said, "The government does not want reveal the true facts about the case. The minister has stated incomplete facts in order to conceal certain information which could expose the government."

The Congress MLA after few minutes returned to the house for discussion of the Governor's speech during the on first day of the session of the newly formed assembly.