Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Apr 1: It is learnt that the state government, through an order, has extended the terms of Justice B K Somashekhara Commission of Inquiry and Justice Jagannath Shetty Commission of Inquiry, by a  month each. The terms of these two commissions were set to end on Wednesday March 31.

Justice B K Somashekhara Commission had been set up to probe attacks on churches and Christian centres of worship in the state. The Commission has conducted several sittings at various places. However, lot needs to be done, as the Commission could complete hearing only in 712 out of 1,019 affidavits filed with it. Several other issues including the cross examinations of the policemen, Pravastu, who had authored ‘Satyadarshini’, and the former state convener of Bajrang Dal, Mahendra Kumar, are yet to be conducted. Hence, the 30-day extension given to the Commission is felt to be grossly inadequate.

Justice Jagannath Shetty Commission, formed to go into the Haveri firing and incidents of violence relating to non-availability of fertilizers in June 2008, has covered lot of ground. The one-month extension given to the Commission is said to be sufficient for it to submit the final report.