A day before the Trinamool Congress's (TMC) annual Martyrs' Day rally, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday tabled the long-pending inquiry commission report into the July 21, 1993 police firing in the state Assembly, accusing former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of withholding its findings for years, and using the incident for political gains.

The report, prepared by the Justice Sushant Banerjee Commission, was constituted by the then Mamata Banerjee government in November 2011 to investigate the police firing on Youth Congress workers during the Mahakaran march on July 21, 1993. The commission submitted its findings in December 2014, but the report was never made public by the TMC government.

The timing of tabling the report assumes significance as it came a day before the TMC's annual Martyrs' Day programme, a politically significant event in West Bengal. Adhikari said the report examined how the incident was subsequently used as a political tool by the TMC for years. He also said the legislature was the appropriate forum to place the findings before the people of West Bengal.

Referring to the timing of the release, the Chief Minister alleged that while the TMC had built its politics around the anniversary of the police firing, it never disclosed what the inquiry commission had concluded.

"Tomorrow is July 21. Many have used this day for political power and personal gain. But the people of West Bengal still do not know what happened, why it happened and who was responsible," Adhikari said during his address in the Assembly.

He said the commission had examined evidence from 44 witnesses, including former chief ministers, senior bureaucrats, police officers, political leaders, journalists and others connected with the incident before arriving at its conclusions.

The Martyrs' Day commemorates the deaths of 13 Youth Congress workers who were killed in police firing during a 1993 march to the Writers' Building, led by Mamata Banerjee, demanding the introduction of photo voter identity cards to ensure fair elections.

COMMISSION QUESTIONED POLICE FIRING

According to Adhikari, the commission concluded that the executive inquiry conducted immediately after the firing was neither fair nor carried out in good faith.

He said the report found no convincing justification for opening fire on protesters and concluded that police firing at locations including Mayo Road, Dorina Crossing, Metro Cinema and Esplanade Row was "unnecessary and unprovoked."

The Chief Minister also cited the commission's observation that apprehensions about protesters storming the Writers' Building were "imaginary" and did not warrant the use of lethal force. He further said the report questioned why several crucial documents connected to the incident were either unavailable or not produced before the commission.

MISSING RECORDS UNDER SCANNER

Adhikari said the commission had recommended fixing responsibility for the disappearance of official records related to the incident.

According to him, the report called for a proper inquiry into how important documents connected to the police firing were not preserved in the Writers' Building and why relevant records were missing during the judicial inquiry.

He alleged that successive governments failed to act on these recommendations despite having the report in their possession for years.

COMPENSATION RECOMMENDATIONS NEVER IMPLEMENTED

Adhikari said one of the key recommendations of the commission was enhanced compensation for the victims and their families.

According to the Chief Minister, the commission recommended Rs 25 lakh for the family of each person killed and Rs 5 lakh for every injured victim. He alleged that the previous government instead paid only Rs 2 lakh to the families of those killed and Rs 15,000 to the injured.

He announced that families of the victims would be free to pursue legal remedies if they wished and said the present government would consider providing compensation in line with the commission's recommendations through the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

Throughout his address, Adhikari repeatedly accused Mamata Banerjee of using the July 21 incident as a political symbol while failing to implement the findings of the very commission her government had constituted.

He alleged that while several leaders rose to political prominence after the movement, the families of those who died remained neglected and were denied justice.

Adhikari also said more reports relating to alleged irregularities during the previous TMC government, including those concerning Cyclone Amphan relief and Covid-era procurement of medical supplies, would be placed in the public domain in due course.

- Ends

Published By:

Prateek Chakraborty

Published On:

Jul 20, 2026 22:58 IST