By IANS
New Delhi : The term of the Liberhan Commission of Inquiry, probing the razing of the Babri mosque in 1992, has been extended yet again by two months to Feb 29 – its 43rd extension in the last 15 years.
Justice M.S. Liberhan, a retired judge, was appointed by former prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao on Dec 16, 1992, to inquire into the events that led to the demolition of the mosque in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh. The commission was set up about 10 days after the event.
This is perhaps the last extension for one of the country’s longest running inquiry commissions probing the razing of the Babri mosque by Hindu mobs.
It has already cost the exchequer over Rs.70 million for the one-man panel of Justice Liberhan, who is still writing his report.
The commission has also had its share of controversy, with the most recent one involving Anupam Gupta, the lawyer attached to the commission. Gupta stated some months ago that he wasn’t sure if Justice Liberhan would like to address the role played by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani in the demolition.
“I have disassociated myself from the commission and it would not be in the fitness of things if I were to comment on what the end result is going to be,” Gupta told IANS from Chandigarh.
When the commission’s report is made public it is sure to prove a political hot potato, given the nature of the inquiry.
The commission has already held 399 sittings and examined several politicians including P.V. Narasimha Rao, BJP leaders Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Kalyan Singh. Several senior bureaucrats and policemen too were examined.
Technically, a commission of inquiry has no punitive or prosecutory powers and its findings are only recommendatory in nature. But considering that this commission has an important mandate, its findings will be keenly looked forward to.