NEW DELHI: BJP and Congress on Monday clashed over the findings of the Liberhan Commission, which is believed to have indicted senior BJP leaders Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, among others, for the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992. Justice M S Liberhan, who submitted his findings to the government on June 30, this year after an inquiry lasting nearly 17 years, has called the BJP leaders "pseudo-moderates", according to a newspaper report. The report also claimed that the entire build-up to the demolition was meticulously planned and there was nothing to show that these leaders were either unaware of what was going on or innocent of any wrongdoing. The home ministry, which is giving final touches to the action taken report (ATR), intends to table the ATR in Parliament along with the report of the Commission during the ongoing Winter Session. All eyes will be on whether the report, once tabled in Parliament, gives fodder to the Congress to politically attack the BJP in the Lok Sabha. It also remains to be seen whether the report is specific enough in its indictment to hold legal implications for those it is said to blame. Justice Liberhan, meanwhile has declined to comment on the news reports saying the Commission's report is with the Parliament. "My mouth is shut. I have not said anything to anybody," he said. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "We cannot talk about a report which is not available. But one thing is clear that for the last 17 years the entire country knows that when such senior leaders were standing in proximity of the Babri masjid, and action by of hordes of people was taking place, planned padyatras were taken across the country, destruction and mayhem was being done, then obviously there is a case to answer." Importantly, Singhvi also said depending on the wording of the report the criminal culpability would be ascertained. "Assuming the report is tabled and shows what is reported in the press, certainly they can form the basis of an FIR, criminal proceeding and full criminal action can be taken under various different provisions. The accused can be prosecuted as part of several other actions - the principal of which is civil action." BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy accused the Congress of "selectively leaking" information on the report to the media at politically opportune moments. "Let the law of land prevail, but what is the report, what is the submission? This is all speculation. Our demand is, why these selective leakages, where is the report - let the country know about it. Why this hide-and-seek? We know there are issues in Parliament which they want to duck. Please ask the government why it is not placing the report in the House." "There is no authenticity of the report. Why government is shying away from tabling the Liberhan report in Parliament?" he asked and said that the move was aimed at creating "turmoil in Parliament and across the nation." M M Joshi said, "This is a leakage and such leakages are, I think, with a political motive. So the best thing is that the government should place the entire report (in Parliament) and what action they want to take on the report." BJP will demand suspension of question hour in both Houses of Parliament in protest against "selective leaks" of the Liberhan Commission report on Babri Masjid demolition. The Commission was set up 10 days after the demolition as communal riots rocked several parts of the country. After 17 years and 48 extensions, it submitted its report on June 30 this year. It is learnt that among others indicted and found culpable - for what the Commission calls pushing the nation to the brink of communal discord - are the entire top brass of the Sangh Parivar. These include the leaderships of the RSS, VHP and Shiv Sena
