ID :
68565
Wed, 07/01/2009 - 12:23
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/68565
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Liberhan Commission submits report on Babri demolition
New Delhi, June 30 (PTI) After 48 extensions and 399
hearings involving over 100 witnesses spread in nearly 17
years, Justice M S Liberhan Tuesday submitted his report on
the demolition of Babri Masjid in India's northern state of
Uttar Pradesh, an event for which saffron leaders including L
K Advani, Murli Manojhar Joshi, Kalyan Singh and Uma Bharati
have been chargesheeted in criminal cases.
Retired Justice Liberhan, who moved from Punjab and
Haryana High Court to Madras and Andhra Pradesh later,
submitted his four-voulme report to India's Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh Tuesday morning which could be tabled in Indian
Parliament that begins its budget session from Thursday. Home
Minister P Chidambaram was also present.
Justice Liberhan, who was appointed to head the
Commission ten days after the demolition on December 6, 1992,
refused to disclose details of his findings that cost in all
Rs eight crore but the saffron leaders saw a political
conspiracy in the timing of report submission.
Four years ago, the hearings of the Commission concluded
but not before a controversy broke out with the Commission's
counsel Anupam Gupta dissociating himself from it owing to
personal differences with Justice Liberhan.
Advani, Joshi, Bharti and Kalyan Singh, who was the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Minister at the time of
demolition, appeared before the Commission as witnesses.
Kalyan Singh apppeared only after the Delhi High Court lifted
a stay order on his deposition.
Others against whom criminal cases are pending in the
demolition of the disputed structure in Ayodhya included
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Ashok Singhal and Bajrang
Dal's Vinay Katiyar.
Even before the findings of the Commission were out,
Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders clashed over
the issue.
Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh said it was well
known that important leaders like Advani, Joshi, Bharti and
Katiyar were present on the spot at the time of demolition and
slogans like 'one more push' were made to instigate the
demolition squads.
BJP spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad said the comments of
Digvijay Singh showed the conspiracy of the Congress party in
the matter.
Former BJP leader Uma Bharti, who now heads the Bharatiya
Janshakti, said the Commission's findings were over during the
tenure of Atal Bihari Vajpayee as India's Prime Minister but
the fact that the report was being submitted now goes
according to Congress plans to attract Muslim vote in three
years for the coronation of Rahul Gandhi as Prime Minister.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) spokesman Ram Madhav
said what happened on December six was a result of "collective
failure" of successive governments and it would be a
"political fallacy" to hold individual leaders responsible for
the demolition.
Advani met with senior leaders at his house here but
party sources said it was a routine meeting to discuss matters
relating to the coming budget session. Arun Jaitley, the new
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Indian
Parliament), and Sushma Swaraj, Deputy Leader of the party in
Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian Parliament), were among those
present.
Party president Rajnath Singh said the BJP leaders fully
cooperated with the Commission, which has submitted the report
after a "long delay".
Chidambaram said he expected the report to be forwarded
to the Home Ministry for necessary action.
The report may be tabled along with Action Taken Report
(ATR) now that Parliament will begin its month-long session on
July two.
Liberhan said he was feeling free Tuesday after having
submitted the report.
Refusing to divulge the contents of the report, he said,
"I submitted the report to the Prime Minister. There are
various things that I have stated in my report. You can read.
It is up to the media to commend it or condemn it."
Asked why the Commission, which had got 48 extensions,
took 17 years to prepare its report, he attributed it to delay
in getting witnesses and the non-cooperative attitude of some
people. But he refused to name them.
He said the report is a "privilege" of Parliament and he
would not be able to say if he has recommended any penal
punishment. "I can't open my mouth for this. The report can
speak when it comes out." PTI NES
RAI
NNNN
hearings involving over 100 witnesses spread in nearly 17
years, Justice M S Liberhan Tuesday submitted his report on
the demolition of Babri Masjid in India's northern state of
Uttar Pradesh, an event for which saffron leaders including L
K Advani, Murli Manojhar Joshi, Kalyan Singh and Uma Bharati
have been chargesheeted in criminal cases.
Retired Justice Liberhan, who moved from Punjab and
Haryana High Court to Madras and Andhra Pradesh later,
submitted his four-voulme report to India's Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh Tuesday morning which could be tabled in Indian
Parliament that begins its budget session from Thursday. Home
Minister P Chidambaram was also present.
Justice Liberhan, who was appointed to head the
Commission ten days after the demolition on December 6, 1992,
refused to disclose details of his findings that cost in all
Rs eight crore but the saffron leaders saw a political
conspiracy in the timing of report submission.
Four years ago, the hearings of the Commission concluded
but not before a controversy broke out with the Commission's
counsel Anupam Gupta dissociating himself from it owing to
personal differences with Justice Liberhan.
Advani, Joshi, Bharti and Kalyan Singh, who was the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Minister at the time of
demolition, appeared before the Commission as witnesses.
Kalyan Singh apppeared only after the Delhi High Court lifted
a stay order on his deposition.
Others against whom criminal cases are pending in the
demolition of the disputed structure in Ayodhya included
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Ashok Singhal and Bajrang
Dal's Vinay Katiyar.
Even before the findings of the Commission were out,
Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders clashed over
the issue.
Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh said it was well
known that important leaders like Advani, Joshi, Bharti and
Katiyar were present on the spot at the time of demolition and
slogans like 'one more push' were made to instigate the
demolition squads.
BJP spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad said the comments of
Digvijay Singh showed the conspiracy of the Congress party in
the matter.
Former BJP leader Uma Bharti, who now heads the Bharatiya
Janshakti, said the Commission's findings were over during the
tenure of Atal Bihari Vajpayee as India's Prime Minister but
the fact that the report was being submitted now goes
according to Congress plans to attract Muslim vote in three
years for the coronation of Rahul Gandhi as Prime Minister.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) spokesman Ram Madhav
said what happened on December six was a result of "collective
failure" of successive governments and it would be a
"political fallacy" to hold individual leaders responsible for
the demolition.
Advani met with senior leaders at his house here but
party sources said it was a routine meeting to discuss matters
relating to the coming budget session. Arun Jaitley, the new
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Indian
Parliament), and Sushma Swaraj, Deputy Leader of the party in
Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian Parliament), were among those
present.
Party president Rajnath Singh said the BJP leaders fully
cooperated with the Commission, which has submitted the report
after a "long delay".
Chidambaram said he expected the report to be forwarded
to the Home Ministry for necessary action.
The report may be tabled along with Action Taken Report
(ATR) now that Parliament will begin its month-long session on
July two.
Liberhan said he was feeling free Tuesday after having
submitted the report.
Refusing to divulge the contents of the report, he said,
"I submitted the report to the Prime Minister. There are
various things that I have stated in my report. You can read.
It is up to the media to commend it or condemn it."
Asked why the Commission, which had got 48 extensions,
took 17 years to prepare its report, he attributed it to delay
in getting witnesses and the non-cooperative attitude of some
people. But he refused to name them.
He said the report is a "privilege" of Parliament and he
would not be able to say if he has recommended any penal
punishment. "I can't open my mouth for this. The report can
speak when it comes out." PTI NES
RAI
NNNN
