The events in the morning and afternoon of December 6, 1992 that led to the demolition of the Babri Masjid were facilitated by a compliant administration and a political leadership — including L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Vinay Katiyar — that stood barely 200 metres away and did nothing to prevent the kar sevaks from tearing down the domes.

This is said to be the key conclusion of the Justice Liberhan Commission of Inquiry as it discusses the events of December 6 under the section, “The Sequence of Events.”

Liberhan is said to have pointed out that Advani, Joshi, Ashok Singhal, Vijayaraje Scindia, RSS leader H V Seshadri etc., made only feeble attempts to make kar sevaks climb down from the domes.

No request was made to the kar sevaks not to enter the garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum) or not to demolish the domes. Liberhan is said to have observed that these “icons” of the movement could have used the administration’s help — or

that of the highly disciplined swayamsevaks — and prevented the demolition.

Sources have told The Indian

Express that Liberhan’s listing of the day’s events — with District Magistrate R N Srivastava acting on direct orders of the then CM Kalyan Singh — makes this point. The sequence, as in the report:

* A “sham” decision was taken by the Kendriya Marg Darshak Samiti (central body of saints of the VHP) that kar seva, fixed for 12.15 pm, was only symbolic.

... contd.