November 24, 2009 2:56 PM

printer

Liberhan Comm. Report with ATR in Parliament ‘Liberhan Commission Report tabled in Parliament with ATR

The Liberhan Commission that probed the Babri Masjid demolition has came down heavily on mixing politics and religion and has recommended a law providing for exemplary punishment for such misuse to acquire political power. The voluminous report of the Commission, which was submitted in June 17 years after it was set up under chairmanship of Justice Manmohan Singh Liberhan, was tabled in both Houses of Parliament by Home Minister P Chidambaram.<br/><br/>The 13-page Action Taken Report (ATR), tabled by the Home Minister, said the government accepted the recommendation and is contemplating enactment of the Communal Violence Bill to prevent and control riots and setting up special courts to deal with them.<br/>The ATR makes no reference to the indictment of top BJP leaders, including L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh and leaders of various Sangh Parivar outfits made in the report.<br/><br/>The Commission was constituted ten days after the demolition of the disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.<br/><br/>The Commission said the Constitutional scheme to separate religion from politics was intended to insulate issues of governance from those of theology.<br/><br/>AIR parliamentary correpondent reports that the government tabled the Report along with the ATR after some portions of the Report appreared in a section of press that led to adjournment of two Houses on Monday.<br/><br/>The decision to table the Liberhan Commission report in Parliament was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet which met this morning. The BJP has sought a discussion on the report. Talking to reporters after the Parliamentary Party meeting, Party Spokesperson Mrs. Sushma Swaraj said that this is the second time that the government bowed to the demand of the opposition in this session.<br/><br/>The Liberhan's Commission has called for special separate law for providing exemplary punishment for misuse of religion for acquiring political power. It has also come down heavily on the danger to the nation from disruptive potential of allowing intermixing of religion and politics.<br/><br/>The Action Taken Report says the government is contemplating a bill to check such violence. It does not call for punitive action but that cases relating to communal violence will be expedited.<br/><br/>The 13 page ATR has also proposed a new law under which no political leader who holds position of power in the government will be allowed to simultaneously hold any position in religious bodies.<br/><br/>CPIM leader Brida Karat today said that the method in which the Liberhan Commission report was presented in the House, aims at dividing the country on communal lines.<br/><br/>Talking to reporters outside the Parliament today, Mrs Karat alleged that by calling it Ramjanmbhoomi Babri Masjid report, Congress is trying to give a new twist to the controversy.<br/><br/>Justice Liberhan said the events of December 6, 1992 and the many subsequent events have already shown to the nation the danger and the disruptive potential of allowing the inter-mixing of religion and politics.<br/><br/>The ATR said it accepted the recommendation and one of the measures contemplated is the Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims), which envisions the setting up of Special Courts.<br/><br/>Shortly after his report on Babri Masjid demolition was tabled in Parliament today, Justice (retd) Manmohan Singh Liberhan said it carried all questions and answers relating to the razing of the structure on December 6, 1992.<br/><br/>He told reporters in Chandigarh that the report is self explanatory as it is a comprehensive document. Justice Liberhan also said that the mediapersons should read the full report before posing questions to him.<br/><br/>CPIM leader Brida Karat today said that the method in which the Liberhan Commission report was presented in the House, aims at dividing the country on communal lines.<br/><br/>Talking to reporters outside the Parliament today, Mrs Karat alleged that by calling it Ramjanmbhoomi Babri Masjid report, Congress is trying to give a new twist to the controversy.

Most Read
View All arrow-right

No posts found.