No truth found in graft charges against Modi-led Gujrat govt by Shah panel: Govt

Gandhinagar: The Justice M B Shah Commission has not found any "credible substance" into the allegations of corruption levelled against the erstwhile Narendra Modi-led dispensation, the Gujarat government today said.

The government also informed the Assembly that it would soon take a decision on making public the Shah panel report.

The Commission was set up in 2011 by the state government to probe the allegations of corruption by the Congress against the Modi dispensation, which include wrongful allotment of land to the industrialists.

Responding to the Congress' demand of tabling the report on the floor of the House before the end of the ongoing Budget session on March 31, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel referred to a Gujarat High Court judgement and said the government cannot be compelled to do so.

"The report has 22 volumes and runs into almost 5,500 pages. Before making it public, we have to study it. A sub-committee of three ministers, including myself and Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, is analysing the report at present," Patel said.

Since Saurabh Patel, who was part of the committee earlier, is no longer a minister since August 2016, a new minister will soon be appointed by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, he added.

"However, I can tell this House that prima facie the Commission has found no credible substance or truth behind most of the allegations levelled against the past government under Narendra Modi," he said.

The issue of Shah Commission report was once again raised today by the Congress MLAs.

Yesterday, at least 50 Congress legislators were suspended for a day by the Speaker Ramanlal Vora following a heated debate over tabling of Shah commission report.

Leader of Opposition Shankersinh Vaghela even wrote letters to Rupani and the Speaker over the issue last night.

"In my letter, I sought to know if the government is ready to table the report by March 31. If not, then Congress has to take up this issue as a responsible opposition party," Vaghela said.

Responding to it, Patel said it was the prerogative of the government to decide the time of tabling of the report.

"Even in the past, many reports were not tabled during the Congress rule here. In many cases, you have even wound up the Commissions even before they submitted their reports. At least we are transparent and committed to bring out the truth. Very soon, we will take a decision about making the report public," Patel said.