Gujarat Day celebrated, but what about Harni Justice?

Vadodara, Gujarat- What was meant to be a celebration of progress became an unexpected reckoning with grief when two women stood up during Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel’s speech asking for something simple yet long overdue: justice for the children and teachers lost in the Harni Lake boat tragedy, everyone involved to be punished.

It’s been over a year since a boat carrying school children and teachers capsized during a picnic, killing 16 people, 12 students and 2 teachers. Reports at that time had revealed that the boat was overcrowded and lacked life jackets. Since then, families have waited- through hearings, delays, and unanswered appeals- for some sense of accountability.

The mothers of Roshni Shinde and Vishwa Nizama firmly made their way through the seated crowd at the government event. Their presence interpreted the speech focused on development promises worth over 1,100 crore, part of Gujarat’s Foundation day celebrations. While the Chief Minister addressed the audience regarding new development projects the mothers stood up from the crowd to make their voices heard. They attempted to address the CM, hoping to speak about the pain and injustice they have been living with since the tragedy. They also said that no one lets them meet him.

However, the CM, visibly taken aback, dismissed their public appeal and suggested they meet him afterwards. He remarked that they had an “agenda”, and moments later, security escorted them out of the event, preventing them from speaking further. The brief but impactful interruption highlighted the divide between the promises of development being made and the unresolved grief of the families.

Kalpesh Nizama, Father of Vishwa Nizama, spoke to the media, reflecting on the stark contrast between the attention given to the large scale infrastructure projects and the silence surrounding the Harni boat tragedy. While the CM visited the Vishwamitri River project on Mangal Pandey bridge as part of his inspection during the same visit, the families continued to face neglect in their fight for the justice. “What wrong have we done that the police kept us in detention, dragged us out? not a single official responsible for allowing illegal boat rides, has been held accountable, all accused are out on bail. The first time CM came to the city during ‘samuh lagan’ we had been kept in house arrest, we were not able to meet him are we criminals? The vishwamitri project, after people lost lakhs, people drowned in flood in 2024 after all of that now they’re seeing the vishwamitri problem, they gave the VUDA (Vadodara Urban Development Authority) houses after 10 years to the poor people, which in today’s date are in condition of their slabs falling down”.

As Vadodara moves forward with its development plans, these families remain hopeful that one day their cries will be heard. The interruption at the CM’s event served as a powerful reminder that progress cannot move forward without addressing the past.