After Liberhan report uproar, cabinet to meet Tuesday

By IANS,

New Delhi: The government has convened a cabinet meeting Tuesday morning, apparently to discuss the action taken report (ATR) on the Liberhan Commission report. The leakage of report in the media Monday stalled proceedings of both houses of parliament.

Official sources said that the unscheduled meeting of the cabinet, to be held at 9.30 a.m., will be chaired by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is in the US at present on an official visit.

With the BJP and other opposition parties building pressure on the government to immediately table the Liberhan report, top Congress leaders discussed the strategy to be adopted in parliament.

While there was no confirmation of the agenda for the cabinet meeting, official sources indicated that the action taken report on the Liberhan Commission report could be discussed. The ATR has to pass through the cabinet before it is tabled in parliament along with the commission report.

Congress president Sonia held discussions with senior leaders, including Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Mukherjee, to discuss the party's strategy in the wake of unrelenting opposition demand to table the report.

The proceedings of parliament have been disrupted since the winter session commenced last Thursday on various issues.

Other opposition parties also joined the BJP in demanding early tabling of the Liberhan Commission report. The BJP indicated it would not raise objections if the government was not ready with the Hindi translation of the ATR and the government could ask for some more time from the presiding officers to present the Hindi translation.

The Liberhan Commission probed the Dec 6, 1992, demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, by Hindu zealots. The incident triggered communal clashes across the country.