Wednesday, February 9 2005 16:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Nanavati Commission, which probed the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, today (Feb 9, 2005) submitted its report to Government.

Justice G T Nanavati, a retired Supreme Court judge, submitted the report running to over 200-page to Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

The Commission Chairman Justice G T Nanavati submitted a two-volume report to the Home Minister in sealed cover.

Justice Nanavati refused to comment on the content of the report.

Refusing to comment on the report, Justice Nanavati told reporters, "It is for the Government to make it public and take action on the basis of the recommendations given in the report".

The report consists of two parts -- Volume I consisted of the discussions of the events during November 1984 when the riots took place and the Volume II consisted of various prime evidences submitted and collected by the Commission.

The report gave its findings about the causes and course of the criminal violence and riots targeting members of the community in the aftermath of the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The Commission, which methodically linked and joined together the sequence of events leading to such violence and riots, also gave its findings as to how such widespread lawlessness could have been averted.

The Commission also went into the question of lapses or dereliction of duty on the part of officers and political figures responsible for maintenance of law and order in the city.

It also suggested administrative measures that should be taken to prevent recurrence of such riots.

The report could not be given on January 31, the day the term of the Commission had expired, as the Home Minister was away from capital to North-East.

The report of Justice G T Nanavati, a retired judge of Supreme Court, is of great interest as this is the second judicial body to probe the sequence of events that led to large-scale violence against the Sikh community in the aftermath of assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31.

In the carnage that gripped the capital for 3-4 days from the evening of October 31, over 3000 Sikhs were killed.

The Commission was appointed by the previous NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government in 1999 of which Akali Dal was a prominent constituent.

It went into allegations levelled against several Congress leaders connected with the riots.

Prominent among the Congress leaders who deposed before the Commission included former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao for his role as the then Home Minister, while Vasant Sathe, Kamal Nath, Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar and Dharamdas Shastri faced allegations.

Former Union Minister H K L Bhagat did not appear before the Commission on health grounds. An affidavit on his behalf was filed by his son stating that the former Union Minister was suffering from mental illness.