Liberhan Commission Report: Panacea or Poison for Ailing BJP?

Though the contents of Liberhan Commission report on Babri Mosque Demolition are yet not out in public, the Congress party has thanked retired Justice MS Liberhan for investigating and preparing a report on 1992 incidence. On the other hand, the BJP, which could be forced to debate Hindutva again, has criticized the commission for taking 17 years to submit the report.

Usual Projection

The report has been filed at a time when the saffron party is passing through its worst phase, the existential crisis, when there is a stormy debate on Hindutva inside the party. Given the timing of the report, it may even prove to be a panacea to a dying saffron party depending up on what and to what extent the report has to reveal the findings and, of course, how. For whether its leaders are proved guilty or not, in both situations, the party can reinvent Hindutva. Anyone can picture what arrest of any of the leaders may spell.

Thus, the faction of the saffron party which has strengthened its voice against Hindutva of late, may be forced further to keep its beak shut.

Nevertheless, the problem with this doctrine may be this: all senior BJP leaders are on last leg of their political career, not energetic engouh to reinvent an ideology gone unrelevant. So, is Narednra Modi or like laughing in a corner, thinking to strike back? Varun…

The report has been filed at a time when the saffron party is passing through its worst phase, the existential crisis, when there is a stormy debate on Hindutva inside the party. Given the timing of the report, it may even prove to be a panacea to a dying saffron party depending up on what and to what extent the report has to reveal the findings and, of course, how.

Political Commentaries

“We must thank Justice Liberhan for the voluminous work that he has done,” said Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari.

While the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) reserved its comment. “Without knowing the contents, I cannot say anything,” CPI-M central secretariat member Mohammad Salim said.

Refusing to comment on the report, BJP president Rajnath Singh only said: “It would have been better if the commission would not have taken 17 years on such a sensitive issue.”

“I don’t know the contents of the report, so I cannot comment,” Singh added.

Besides, senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi refused to comment. But party leader Vinay Katiyar said that he suspected the Congress had influenced the report.

Uma Bharati, who was in the BJP when the disputed structure was demolished, is more upfront in her remarks, “I definitely wanted the Ram temple to come up (in Ayodhya) and I definitely wanted that building to come down but not in that manner. But I am not apologetic and I am not going to apologise.”

Probe

The commission has probed the role of senior BJP leaders Murli Manohar Joshi and L K Advani in the demolition of the mosque.

Needless to mention, Advani was the architect of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement but was not considered as a conspirator during the commission’s probe.

The commission, which also probed the role of Bharti and Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader (VHP) Ashok Singhal for inciting people to demolish the structure, is also likely to comment on who incited kar sevaks on December 6, whether Kalyan Singh fulfilled his duties as Chief Minister and did the Central government fail to protect the mosque.

These 17 Years

It should be mentioned that the Liberhan Commission got 48 extensions after it was set up within 10 days of the demolition of the 16th century mosque in Ayodhya on Dec 6, 1992, by Hindu groups. The demolition triggered widespread communal riots in the country and led to the loss of many lives.

The panel to investigate what led to the demolition of the Babri mosque was to submit its report by March 16, 1993. But it sought repeated extensions to complete its investigation. The last three-month extension was given in March this year.

The commission has recorded the statements of senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, then chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Kalyan Singh and now Bharati Jan Shakti party chief Uma Bharati.

Finally, the commission submitted its report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on June 30 in the presence of Home Minister P Chidambaram.