Jhiram attack case: BJP hails verdict, Congress hits out

The conviction of 10 accused in the 2013 Jhiram Valley Maoist attack case has triggered a political slugfest in Chhattisgarh, with the Congress terming the verdict “incomplete justice” and the ruling BJP welcoming the court’s decision.

An NIA court in Jagdalpur on Saturday convicted all 10 persons arrested for the attack, in which 29 people, including senior Congress leaders Vidya Charan Shukla and Mahendra Karma, were killed.

Reacting to the verdict, former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, in a long post on X, said the judgment appeared to be “incomplete justice” as the alleged larger political conspiracy behind the attack had not been investigated.

“In such a case, sentencing only 10 lower-level Naxals cannot be called justice,” Baghel said.

“The NIA, the agency investigating the incident, had itself stated that 200 people carried out the Jhiram attack. The NIA had named 39 individuals as accused. However, due to persistent negligence during the investigation, the agency failed to apprehend more than ten people. The NIA had already dropped the names of top Naxalite leaders from the FIR; one wonders at whose behest,” he said.

Secondly, the inquiry commission investigated the matter solely regarding ‘lapses in security arrangements,’ rather than focusing on securing convictions in a criminal case, Baghel claimed.

The truth is that the horrific political conspiracy behind the Jhiram incident has never been investigated, the senior Congress leader asserted.

“The Congress party and the affected families have consistently maintained that a massive political conspiracy was behind this incident and that an investigation into it was essential. However, the NIA never investigated this aspect,” he said.

Baghel also referred to a second FIR registered by Chhattisgarh police in 2020 on a complaint by Jitendra Mudliyar, son of slain Congress leader Uday Mudliyar, alleging a larger conspiracy.

The Supreme Court had rejected the NIA’s objection to the second FIR in November 2023, he said, adding that no investigation was conducted into it after the BJP returned to power in the state (in 2023).

“In the last two-and-a-half years, no investigation has been conducted into the second FIR. In fact, the BJP does not want an investigation into the criminal conspiracy to take place at all. As I stated, BJP leaders simply do not want an investigation into the criminal conspiracy behind the Jhiram incident. Until this investigation takes place, justice for Jhiram will remain incomplete,” he added.

Talking to reporters in Durg, State Congress president Deepak Baij said the conviction of 10 accused was not justice for Bastar, the victims’ families or the Congress.

The attack was the result of a political conspiracy and a “supari (contract) killing” aimed at eliminating Congress leaders to capture power, he said, adding the NIA investigation was incomplete and that only those who were arrested had been convicted.

“The people of Bastar do not even know the names of the 10 persons who have been convicted. Only small-level Naxals were arrested, and tribal and lower-level cadres were made accused,” he said.

“The names of some senior Naxal leaders were mentioned in the initial FIR and were later removed. Today, several senior Naxal leaders have surrendered. Were they interrogated by the NIA or the Government after their surrender?” Baij asked.

Some senior Maoist leaders had admitted in media interviews to being involved in the Jhiram attack, he said and questioned whether they had been granted immunity from punishment.

“Overall, this verdict appears to have held these small-level Naxals responsible for protecting the then chief minister and his cabinet colleagues at the Centre’s direction,” Baij alleged while stating that the Congress does not agree with the verdict.

The SIT constituted during the previous Congress Government should be asked to investigate the case again, he added.

The BJP, however, welcomed the court verdict and defended the NIA investigation.

BJP chief spokesperson and MP Santosh Pandey said the verdict was a matter of satisfaction after a long wait and would help bring the truth before the public.

He also said Baghel was in power for five years (from 2018 to 2023) and could have produced the evidence he claimed to possess regarding the Jhiram attack.

“If you (Baghel) had evidence, why did you not present it before the court during your five-year Government?” Pandey asked.

Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma also slammed the Congress and asked why the party did not take action while it was in power. He was responding to queries on Congress’ allegations against those responsible at the time for providing security for the party’s rally.

He said the NIA probe had been found to be correct by the court, pointing out that the investigation was handed over to the agency when the Congress-led UPA was in power at the Centre and the BJP was ruling Chhattisgarh.

The May 25, 2013 attack in Bastar’s Jhiram Valley had wiped out almost the entire top leadership of the Congress in Chhattisgarh.