Liberhan panel to submit report before term ends in March

The Commission, set up on December 16, 1992 by the Union Government for a period of three months, is inquiring into the sequence of events leading, and all facts and circumstances relating to, the occurrences at Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid complex on December 6, 1992, which led to the destruction of the structure. Liberhan is also looking into the role played by then Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh, his ministerial colleagues, officials of the UP Government and by individuals, agencies concerned and organisations in bringing down the controversial structure. Along with these, he is also probing the deficiencies in security measures as also attack on mediapersons on the fateful day.

Sources in the Commission say in writing the voluminous report, Liberhan is not being assisted by commission’s counsel Anupam Gupta, who has had a much-publicised falling out with Liberhan over the issue of whether the panel should address Advani’s role in the demolition.

“The responsibility for submitting the report is entirely Justice Liberhan’s. I have nothing to do with the Commission now,” Gupta told The Indian Express.

Despite repeated attempts, Liberhan could not be contacted.

In reply to an application filed by The Indian Express, the Union Home Ministry has disclosed that till July 14, 2008, the Union Government had spent Rs 7.72 crore on the Commission. Of this, a whopping Rs 5 crore went into the salaries and perks of the 57 supporting staff, of which just 22 are still working with the Commission. Except of one sweeper, the rest are all on deputation/loan from the Central Government.

Since his retirement — he retired as Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court on November 11, 2000 — Liberhan is getting Rs 30,000 per month (less his pension), dearness allowance as payable to officers of All India Service carrying the pay of Rs 30,000, city compensatory allowance, house rent at the rate of Rs 10,000 per month, conveyance facilities, medical facilities, leave, LTC, travel allowance, water, power, telephone (all as entitled to a sitting High Court Chief Justice). He is also allowed to do chamber practice and arbitration work.

While the Home Ministry notification said the Commission would be headquartered at Lucknow, it now functions out of one portion of the Vigyan Bhawan here.

The commission has held 399 sittings, examining people like former PM P V Narasimha Rao, BJP leaders L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Kalyan Singh, VHP leader Ashok Singhal, Congress’s Arjun Singh, and former UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav.