The Justice Liberhan Commission Report has ignited a fierce polemical debate among politicians and media. That this load of garbage should engage so much attention is symptomatic of the sick and retarded condition of India’s elite. No wonder the UP Governor at the time of the demolition, Mr Satynarayan Reddy, has rubbished the Report. The terms of reference for the Liberhan Commission of Inquiry were to find out “the sequence of events leading, and all facts and circumstances relating, to the occurrences at Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid complex on December 6, 1992”. Law Minister Moily has described the Report as fact-finding. After 17 years has the Commission unearthed a single fact that was not known earlier? The long Report is full of opinions, assumptions and recommendations. Where are the facts? 

Prosecution must rely on facts to make it evidence. Every child knew that the Sangh Parivar was fomenting communal tensions. The RSS domination of the BJP was known. The mobilization of karsevaks to reach the Masjid was open. The preplanning was obvious from the equipment and tools taken by a section of the demonstrators to break down the structure. Did it require 17 years to reiterate at great length these acknowledged truths? 

Uma Bharathi has stated that she is willing to face prosecution for the constructive responsibility of demolishing the Masjid. She admitted to being elated over the demolition but said she had no foreknowledge of it. Some other Sangh Parivar leaders are claiming the same. In what manner has the Report unearthed evidence to refute these claims? RSS Chief of that time, K Sudharshan, has claimed there was no preplanning and the demonstrators went out of control. Undoubtedly those demonstrators who carried the tools for destruction had preplanned the operation. Did the Commission follow every lead to get at the truth? Did the Commission follow media reports and other developments to attempt getting at the truth? It does not seem to have been attempted. Instead Justice Liberhan has resorted to pompous, generalized pontification to fill his long Report. Here are a few leads that appeared in the press earlier which seem to have been ignored by the Commission. 

In September 1997 the late KR Malkani, Vice President of BJP, stated that ISI agents had infiltrated the karsevaks to carry out the demolition. Malkani said this five years after the demolition. What led him to say it? Did the Commission summon Malkani and question him about it? 

After the Masjid was demolished a section of the demonstrators spread across town committing arson and murder. Over 20 Muslims were killed. This was a continuum of the demolition.