The Liberhan Commision that probed the Babri Masjid demolition has recommended a law providing for exemplary punishment over misuse of religion to acquire political power. The report along with the action taken was tabled in the both Houses of Parliament by the Home Minister Mr. P Chidambaram. The voluminous report comes down heavily on mixing religion with politics saying that events of December 6, 1992 and subsequent events have already shown the nation the dangerous trend of alienating people and dividing them into small sections. The 13 page action taken report says the government accepts the recommendations and is contemplating enactment of a communal violence bill to prevent and control riots and set up special courts to deal with them. The report calls for setting up of four regional tribunals for ensuring swift prosecution and effective implementation of the law. Accepting the recommendation, though the ATR makes no reference to the indictment of top BJP and RSS leaders, the report points out that the senior BJP leader Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was also aware of the developing situation. The action taken report, while referring to the cases arising out of the demolition says that steps will be taken to expedite the hearing of these cases. The ATR refers to 8 cases pertaining to prominent leaders and 47 others, in a special court in Raibareilly. The commission also suggests to separate religion from politics and calls for insulating issues of governance from that of theology. While the commission suggests confirming statutory powers on National Integration Council and its members to be barred from holding any constitutional office or participating in any political activities, the ATR says that it is not practical recommendation. On the proposal to set up criminal justice commission for monitoring all law enforcement agencies and application of corrective measures, ATR says law commission will be approached to study the desirability of such commission. On dealing firmly with the threat of communal violence, the report proposes the need for specialized investigating squads under the state criminal investigation agencies. AIR correspondent reports, that the Liberhan commission which was set up 10 days after the demolition of disputed structure in Ayodhya in 1992, submitted its report to the government in June this year after 17 years.
News On AIR | November 24, 2009 7:18 PM
Liberhan Commission calls for law to punish over misuse of religion to acquire political power