RAJYA SABHA _________ ∗SYNOPSIS OF DEBATE _________ (Proceedings other than Questions and Answers) _________ Thursday, December 10, 2009/ Agrahayana 19, 1931 (Saka) _________ SUPPLMENTARY DEMANDS FOR GRANTS (RAILWAYS) 2009-10 THE MINISTER OF RAILWAYS (KUMARI MAMTA BANERJEE): I lay on the table, a statement (in English and Hindi) showing the Supplementary Demands for Grants (Railways) for the year 2009-10. _________ SHORT DURATION DISCUSSION Liberhan Commission Report and trial of Babri Mosque case-Contd. SHRI D. RAJA, continuing his unfinished speech dated 9.12.09, said: I would like to focus on three major issues, one, our Party's approach to the Liberhan Commission's Report and the Action Taken Report of the Government; two, certain fundamental, core issues involved and, three, what should be the way forward. Certain recommendations made by Liberhan Commission are very ridiculous. The Commission recommends that there must be a National Commission for the Review of Constitution. If one demolition takes place, it is not necessary that we should review the whole Constitution. As far as Action Taken Report is concerned, I do not see any action being taken by Government and it doesn't have serious political will as to how to act on the recommendations. The Government should concentrate on the conclusion of ___________________________________________________ ∗This Synopsis is not an authoritative record of the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha. 222 the Liberhan Commission and then initiate certain actions and expedite certain other actions which are under way. We are a democratic republic and India has progressed all these years as a nation because we have committed to the ideals of secularism and democracy. Politics and religion should remain separate. India has not chosen any religion as State religion or official religion like our neighbours, but there are some forces who try to attack this Republic by posing an agenda of theocracy and call the nation a 'Hindu Rashtra'. These are the forces which are behind the demolition of the mosque. Religion is a personal matter. It should not become a political tool and an instrument for getting electoral gains. The BJP and other organizations named in the Report said they were leading Ram Janmabhoomi Movement, which led to the demolition of the mosque. Political morality and political honesty demand that they must accept it honestly in this august House. Conspiracy and other things are secondary issues. How they can claim that they represent the entire Hindu community? Eighty-five per cent are Hindus in this country and a large number of Hindus are secular and a large number of Muslims are also secular. Nobody should take that sole right to call themselves the sole representative of a particular religion. It is a question of spreading hatred and violence. Innocent people are being used in this struggle for power. Dalits, in large number, are not allowed to enter into many temples in the country. Are people fighting for the temple entry for Dalits? Sangh Parivar, which has been named in the Liberhan Commission Report, follow the grammar of anarchy. This must be abandoned. The core question is that they led it as a movement and they were responsible for it. It is time that they should admit it. Congress remained a mute and meek spectator. The role of the Congress Party must be equally condemned. The congress Party is also a culprit which opened the locks and allowed the shilanyas. The Congress Party must take the responsibility. My point is why cannot we think of building a hospital and a monument for communal and religious harmony and integrity of the nation. SHRI MANOHAR JOSHI: In the beginning I would say that when a Commission is appointed on such a subject, the Commission is given 223 terms of references. It is the duty of the Commission to meet our expectations and such Commission should be impartial. But after going through the report of the Liberhan Commission I feel that at the time of giving its report Liberhan had put the terms and reference aside and did the work of putting his own ideas. Baba Saheb Thakrey said that if nobody takes the responsibility of demolishing the structure, I feel proud that my Shiv Sainiks had done this work. It does not mean that they have done that work but it does mean that it is a matter of pride and for it, it was necessary to go into the roots of this matter. The same was the responsibility of the Liberhan Commission. Liberhan Commission did not complete this responsibility and therefore, we have to say these things here that what was there earlier and what is there today. The Mughal emperor Babar had said to his General, Mirza Baig to construct a mosque by demolishing the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. In the British days the land of Ayodhaya was divided into two parts. One was Babri and the other was Ram Chabutra. Since 1934 muslim people did not go there to offer Namaj or to celebrate festival. Liberhan Commission was extended time for 48 times. After 17 years its report is being placed before us and for this report 8 crores of people was spent and 171 people were held culprit in it. I want to know what Liberhan was doing till 17 years. On which matter he was working and what was its need. My friend Shri D. Raja had said whether any body will stand and say that he is Hindu and he has pride on it. I shall say not once but for hundred a times that I am Hindu and I have complete right for it. Liberhan never went to Ayodhaya. Where the incident had occurred. The persons, who were held responsible, were not called. He said that Moropant Pingley was the leader of Shiv Sena. He held late Devraha Baba accused. When this incident occurred, he was not alive. In no way he has held then Prime Minister, Shri Narsimha Rao responsible. After seeing this matter I want that an inquiry of Liberhan should be made. At that time Godbole was Home Secretary and he had said that there was no conspiracy behind this incident. In the white paper of the Government on this issue it was not said that there was any conspiracy behind it. Suddenly people assembled there and after assembling of all the people this incident occurred. Liberhan Commission has not any right to say that there is a conspiracy behind it. In the end I will say that this House should pass a resolution that the entity of this country, the temple of Lord Ramchandra should be constructed in Ayodhaya itself. Only it is my expectation. 224 THE MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI KAPIL SIBAL), intervening in the discussion, said: The fact of the matter is that the four terms of reference which Liberhan Commission had to answer related to, what happened on the 6th of December and who was responsible for the demolition of the mosque, what was the role of the Chief Minister or the Council of Ministers, what were the deficiencies in the security measures and who was responsible for attacking the media? These were the four issues on which the Liberhan Commission has given findings. The main concern of the Commission was to investigate into what had happened in Ayodhya. According to Justice Liberhan, the political parties, the Government, the security agencies and the bureaucracy, all of them had one job and that was to destroy the Babri Masjid. The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh granted permission to deploy the paramilitary forces after much of the demolition had actually commenced. On 5th December, 1992, when the Home Secretary proposed to the Chief Minister to deploy 133 CFS companies to utilize for the security of the Masjid, the Chief Minister said that the State Forces would be deployed to protect the same. They all did the same in connivance. The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh fulfilled his party's manifesto and the fact is not a national joke. This was a joint venture, and not a howler. According to the book--Ayodhya Movement- -written by Shri L.K. Advani, it was a meticulously drawn up plan and we, too, know the fact. It will take thousands of years to retain the position which was prior to the demolition of the Masjid. In respect of the occurrence in Ayodhya, it is an established truth that 1700 people were killed and during the three months starting from 6th December, 3000 people became the victim to killings in the name of religion. It was a pre-designed plan wherein a large number of Kar Sewaks were deployed. They had come with equipments and ropes required for the demolition of the Masjid. Almost 50,00,000 people had joined the job. In the beginning, Kar Sewaks drove away the people therefrom, and then assaulted the journalists and also the photographers so that no photographs of the demolition act can be taken. The Kar Sewaks went into the Garbhgriha, took the idols and the cash box to a safe place. The demolition act was done from 12.15 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. At 3.00 p.m., the communal riots erupted, but the District Magistrate came to the spot at 6.00 p.m. It was a complete failure of the entire State machinery. The demolition was not a sudden action. The CRPF men who had assembled at the Sita Rasoi, were not ordered to take action. The Kar Sewaks belonged to the Opposition, not to the Congress 225 Party, Communist Party and Left Party.