The pandemonium which the BJP members created in the parliament against the MS Liberhan Commission report on the Babri Masjid demolition which has projected former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the accused along with other Sangh parivar leaders, is meaningless. Their reaction makes one thing clear-that the demolition of the masjid was wrong. But their argument seems to be saying that Vajpayee was in no way responsible, even if other BJP leaders are.
The clamour raised by the BJP men when the Liberhan report was leaked to the media even before it was tabled in the Parliament sends different signals. None who raised objection to the leakage of the report had questioned as to why it took 18 long years for Liberhan to file the report after investigation.
The commission’s conclusion that even Vajpayee was a part of the hungama created by the Sangh Parivar prior to the demolition does not seem to be unreal. The speech delivered by Vajpayee addressing the Kar Sevaks at Lucknow a day prior to the demolition of the masjid, provided evidence that he was a part of the demolition operation. The translation of this speech by Vajpayee has been published by ‘Outlook.’
The former PM’s speech reveals that he had an equal role to play in the demolition just like other leaders like Advani, Joshi and Uma Bharathi who were present at the spot and encouraged the Kar Sevaks. But Vajpayee had chosen his words very carefully.
But it is for sure that the BJP is now making every possible attempt to save Vajpayee. But the so called leaders who are raising this objection are mum when it comes to Advani, Joshi and other front rank leaders who face more charges than that which Vajpayee is facing.
But, probably no other Commission in India has taken as much time as the Liberhan Commission to file its report. The time limit set for the Commission had been extended at least 40 times and the complaints that this was only done to secure allowances from the government, cannot be termed as baseless. The Rs 8 crore spent on the Commission’s hearings cannot be justified by any count.
But the fact that the Commission has not recommended any action against those named as accused by it, makes one thing clear- that all the study which it undertook in this case has gone utterly waste.
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