July 22, 2007

To,

Dr. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of India
7 Race Course Road
New Delhi .

Sub: Investigation into the serial bomb-blasts in Mumbai on 11 July 2006, and speedy relief and rehabilitation for all the 1077 victims of the terrorist act.

Ref: Your letter dated 20 June 2007 in response to my letter to you dated 09 June 2007.

Dear Prime Minister,

I visited Mumbai on 11 July 2007 to participate in two functions organized at Bhayandar and Malad to mark the first anniversary of the serial bomb blasts on the city’s local trains, which claimed 187 innocent lives and left as many as 890 persons injured.

At the outset, I feel constrained to express my surprise and anguish that no official function was held by the Union or State governments to mark the first anniversary of what was undoubtedly the most horrific terrorist act in India in recent years.

Kindly contrast this apathy and silence on the part of the Government of India with the manner in which the administration of the United States commemorated the first anniversary of 9/11. The British government remembered the bomb blasts in London on 7 July 2005 with former Prime Minister Tony Blair leading the commemorative events on the first anniversary and his successor Mr. Gordon Brown doing so on the second.

Investigation:

The people of Mumbai and the rest of the country are increasingly beginning to suspect that official apathy to 11/7 is deliberate and politically motivated. No worthwhile progress has been made in the investigation so far, although o n July 12 last year Home Minister Shri Shivraj Patil, after a visit to Mumbai, had assured: “The Government has enough evidence of perpetrators of the blasts and would take stern action against the culprits and share all the information with the people at the appropriate time.”

Mr. Prime Minister, the people have a right to know from you and your Home Minister: "What stern action has been taken against the culprits? What information about them have you shared with the nation?" Your government’s inaction and silence can only be attributed to its inability and unwillingness to take the nation into confidence on the culprits and the conspiracy behind this terrorist act.

In this context, I heard from a cross-section of people in Mumbai their deep dismay at the following facts about the investigation:

Legal trial is yet to gain momentum at the MCOCA Court against the culprits involved in the terrorist act.

No efforts are being made to nab the 15 absconding terrorists.

No major efforts are being made by the MEA to identify and apprehend the foreign contacts behind the terrorist attack. In particular, no evidence has been shown and no representation made to the Government of Pakistan in this case.

The people expect an answer from your government to two burning questions about 7/11: Which evil mind was behind this barbaric act of terrorism, and what are its foreign and domestic links? How soon will the conspiracy be busted and justice meted out to the culprits?

Relief & Rehabilitation:

I am compelled to draw your attention, yet again, to the fact that official apathy continues to be seen even in the matter of ensuring relief and rehabilitation to all the victims of the serial bomb blasts. I must, in all fairness, record here that some progress was indeed made after your personal intervention in response to my letter to you from Mumbai dated June 9, 2007. In spite of this, I have been informed by my colleague and former MP from Mumbai, Dr. Kirit Somaiya, whose NGO Yuvak Pratishthan has been spearheading the relief and rehabilitation effort, that –

As many as 416 victims are still struggling for medical treatment and rehabilitation.
The State Government is extremely slow in payment of ex-gratia compensation. Whereas the Railways have paid ex-gratia compensation to 1058 families, the State Government has done so in respect of only 884 victims. I urge you to direct the State Government to fulfill its commitment at the earliest.
Not much progress has taken place at the Special Bench of the Railway Claims Tribunal. It is having only one sitting in a month. The number of claims settled till now is only 174, out of around 600 claims made by victims. I urge you to direct the RCT Bench to have daily sittings to dispose of all the remaining claims.
The tardy functioning of the Medical Board formed by the RCT, Western Railway, is causing a lot of irritation to the victims and their families. Victims are forced to undergo one more check-up by the Board to scrutinize the extent of injury. I feel that, besides forming two medical panels to speed up the work, the issue of extent of injury needs to be handled from a humanitarian angle. For example, I personally met Shri Kamal Khemka, one of the victims. He lost his right hand in the blast. His application for employment was rejected on medical grounds; his handicap was found to be 65%, as against the eligibility level of 70%.
More than 200 complaints have been received regarding non-payment, refusal of payment or incomplete payment for medical treatment. Many victims are required to undergo successive surgeries. In such cases, Railways and the Government of Maharashtra have refused to pay for medical care.
Railways and the Government of Maharashtra have refused to make payment for hearing aids, artificial limbs, etc.

I have found that non-fulfillment of the promise of providing employment in Railways remains a source of much resentment with the victims. Railways had agreed to give employment to the kin of the dead and permanently disabled victims, and this promise was reiterated by you. I am told that, out of 235 eligible persons, only 44 have received employment or joined work so far. This is because of the rigidity of rules and the bureaucratic manner of implementing them. I came across the case of Alwyn D’Cunha, whose right hand has been severely damaged. He has given two medical tests before the Railway Medical Board. However, he is yet to get the appointment letter. The wife of Shri Parag Sawant, a blast victim who is hospitalized in a state of coma till today, got employment only on 20 June 2007. Many educated widows and senior persons have been offered Grade D jobs.

I urge you to direct the Railways officials to relax the norms and guidelines of employment, so that your government’s promise is satisfactorily and speedily fulfilled.

I am enclosing with this letter 100 grievances received by me in my meeting with victims held in Mumbai on 11 July 2007.

To sum up, I suggest that you order the formation of an empowered Action Group comprising senior officials from Railways, State Government and a couple of widely respected field-level activists to handle all the grievances before August 15 2007.

With warm regards,

Yours sincerely

(L.K. Advani)

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