Justice Liberhan's reaction to the Ayodhaya verdict

Reacting to the verdict on the Ayodhya title suit by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, former High Court Judge, Justice M S Liberhan today said, “It has decided nothing”.

Justice Liberhan, who had carried out a detailed probe and submitted Liberhan Commission report over the 1992 Babri mosque demolition, said, “Judgement of the court is always right but it has decided nothing.”

Justice Liberhan made it clear that he had not gone through the contents of the judgment but was basing his observation on whatever he had overheard about the verdict.

Talking to Hindustan Times, Justice Liberhan indicated that the case despite the political overtones was apparently decided without fear, favour or ill will. He said,” All judges are honest and nonpolitical. They decide cases without fear and favour in accordance with the law and based on documents produced on record.”

Justice Liberhan’s report was tabled before the Parliament in November 24 last year. The report was submitted after 17 years. The report is apparently gathering dust with the government refusing to initiate any action on his findings. Commenting on the treatment meted put to his report, Justice liberhan said, ”My report has never been read in the light in which it was given and the questions referred to the commission.”

Available information suggests even after the report was tabled less than a year back the government has refused to re-investigate the sensitive aspects underscored in the report.

Infact action was not initiated to prosecute the personalities whose names surfaced in the report. Rather the government did precious little to put up a challan against them before the court concerned. The Liberhan Commission had taken note of a statement made by an intelligence officer, who had even claimed in his book, the bugging of the meeting of Bharatiya Janata Party/Sangh Parivar a day before the demolition of the mosque. Yet, the government on the statement did not order a probe. Even the details of the bugging was not produced before the commission.

The findings of the Liberhan Commission had said that it had been "established beyond doubt" that the events of Dec 6, 1992, in Ayodhya were "neither spontaneous nor unplanned". The commission had also blamed the entire temple construction movement on the Sangh Parivar - Hindu rightwing groups.