New Delhi, November 18
The winter session of Parliament starting tomorrow is likely to see the tabling of the Liberhan Commission report. The commission had probed the Babri Masjid demolition and it had submitted its report to the Government on June 30.
The government had earlier promised that the report would be tabled within six months by December 31. Sources said it was likely that the report would be tabled towards the end of the session. That would be in the third week of December or just before Christmas. Since the commission had probed the role of Leader of Opposition Lal Krishna Advani, former Union Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh and Uma Bharti, the House may witness stormy scenes.
When asked if the Liberhan Commission report and the action taken report would be tabled, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said, “You will have to wait till December 31 to know”. He refused to comment if the report would be tabled or not. Sources, however, said the government would not seek an extension in tabling the report. The BJP was at its lowest ebb and the report coming now would be favourable for the Congress-led UPA regime.
Earlier today, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the government would be able to tackle the situation on various matters, including the sugarcane prices, despite not having a majority in Rajya Sabha.
“We will try to take all our friends. We are prepared for discussions and their views are welcome. You cannot divorce price of sugar from sugarcane prices. We will only request the opposition to cooperate with us,” he said, suggesting that a balance was needed on sugarcane prices as they also affect the price of sugar.
The BJP has decided to bring an Adjournment Motion in Lok Sabha on the first day itself on the Sugarcane (Control) Amendment Order, 2009, against the government.
Bansal said the government planned to go ahead with the Land Acquisition Amendment Bill in its present form, notwithstanding protests from a key ally Trinamool Congress.
In reply to a question, he said government would re-introduce the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill. On the controversial Banking Regulation Bill and the Insurance Law Amendment Bill, he said they were unlikely to come for consideration in the winter session as they were still with the standing committee concerned.
On questions about the absence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for more than a week during the session as he would be abroad, Bansal said there were many international obligations which the Prime Minister had to fulfil.
