Mothers of Harni boat tragedy victims whisked away from viewing gallery of VMC board meet

At the police station, Congress leaders and other victims of the Harni Boat tragedy arrived in support of the two women, courting arrest and urging the police to lock them up. The police released the duo later after recording their statements. 

The incident has sparked outrage and also resulted in corporator Ashish Joshi — suspended by the BJP after the May incident — filing a police complaint seeking probe into the alleged corruption in the Harni Lake redevelopment project, which was undertaken under public private partnership in 2017.

An official of the VMC said, “The passes were issued based on the forms signed by two BJP corporators – Poonam Shah and Parul Patel. The two women also underwent a security check and were in the viewing gallery only for about two minutes.”

Sarla Shinde said, “The last time when we went to the CM’s event, they dragged us out like criminals because we allegedly violated protocol, but this time, we had valid passes, we underwent security check and were allowed in.

Yet, we were removed within two minutes and pushed into police vans. The security staff told us that we were being called by some officer and we believed them and moved out of the gallery only to find that we were being cheated and insulted again… We had come to the General Board meeting because officers of the VMC keep telling us that the investigation is going in the right direction and that action is being taken, but we never understanding what is happening…”

Shinde added, “What crime have we committed in seeking justice for our children? The people in power do not know what it feels like losing a child… They invite the accused in the case to events and welcome them with open arms…”

Shinde was referring to the presence of Gopal Shah, former Town Development Officer of the VMC, who was a partner of the joint venture that signed a MoU with the VMC for the redevelopment of the Harni Lake in 2017.

Shah, one of the prime accused in the January 18, 2024, Harni Boat tragedy that killed 14 persons including 12 schoolchildren and two teachers on a picnic, was spotted among the guests at the Urban Innovation Infrastructure summit of the VMC on September 13, where CM Patel was the chief guest. Shah’s private firm, Planning Solutions, was also a partner exhibitor at the event, as per the details of the conclave.

On Friday, VMC Commissioner Arun Mahesh Babu said he was “unaware” of Shah’s presence at the conclave. Babu said, “The VMC had not invited him. Getting exhibitors was the prerogative of the partner organisers of the event.”

Assistant Commissioner of Police (C Division) Ashok Rathwa, under whose jurisdiction Navapura police station falls, said that the two women had been taken away from the VMC based on the “threat perceived” by Mayor Pinky Soni. Rathwa said, “The VMC security agency had followed the instructions of the Mayor and brought the women out of the viewing gallery. The police have to follow the procedure and assist if a threat is perceived.”

While Mayor Soni was unavailable for comment, BJP City Unit President Jayprakash Soni, who was also present at the September 13 Summit, told The Indian Express, “Regarding Gopal Shah’s presence at the summit, I don’t know who invited Shah.

The party has not invited him. Two BJP corporators had signed the form to seek viewing gallery passes for the two women. I am going to summon Shah and Patel to understand what made them do so. I will also speak to the Mayor to ask her who called the police and why were the two women whisked away if they were only sitting in the viewing gallery.”

Soni also denied rumors that the party had roped in Shah to consult in the ongoing construction of the party’s Kamalam office in the city.

BJP Corporator Parul Patel said that it was an “insult” that a citizen of her ward, to whom she had issued a pass for viewing the General Board meeting, was taken away like a criminal.

Patel said, “I had signed a form for issuing a pass to Sarla Shinde, my colleague signed the form for Sandhya (Nizama). It was September 18 – 21 months since the tragedy took away their children. They wanted to come to the General Board meeting to view the proceedings and understand if their case was being even mentioned… They are not criminals… They are victims and I am going to raise the issue in the party… they were removed from the viewing gallery… it is also an insult to me.”

Probe sought into ‘irregularities’ in Harni lake MoU

Ashish Joshi, the VMC Corporator from Ward 15, where most victim families of the Harni boat tragedy reside, said, “It is an irony that the victims are being treated like criminals and chased out from VMC events while the accused is being invited to events and being seated across the stage from the Chief Minister… I have filed a complaint with the city police to look into the conspiracy by the contractors, including Shah’s firm, as well as the then officers of the VMC, including the two former Municipal Commissioners.

The Harni boat tragedy is being investigated by a Special Investigation Team but this is a specific complaint demanding a probe into the irregularities in the contract awarded to the accused that ultimately resulted in the tragedy… I have submitted documentary evidence in the case.”

Joshi’s complaint is against 12 persons, including the partners of the joint venture between M/s Kotiya projects and Gopal Shah, who were on board when the contract for the redevelopment of the lake was signed in July 2017 by the VMC. The complaint has also named two former VMC Commissioners H S Patel and Vinod Ro as well as former VMC Executive Engineer Rajesh Chauhan and Deputy Engineer Jignesh Shah.

Commissioner of Police Narasimha Komar said that the police would look into Joshi’s complaint. “Police will take appropriate action after examining material evidence,” Komar said.