New Delhi, December 8
Thwarting BJP’s attempts to obstruct the discussion on the Liberhan Commission report into the demolition of Babri Masjid, Home Minister P Chidambaram castigated the RSS, BJP and other subsidiaries of the Sangh parivar for this in the Lok Sabha today.
The Home Minister spoke for nearly an hour, during which BJP members were in the Well of the House, raising slogans to drown his speech. But Chidambaram continued unperturbed quoting extensively from the report to support Justice Liberhan’s findings that the demolition of the mosque was the culmination of a conspiracy hatched the RSS, BJP, VHP, Bajrang Dal and even Shiv Sena.
Forcefully defending the Congress government of the day in the Centre, Chidambaram declared, “It was state government’s responsibility to protect the Ram Janabhoomi-Babri Masjid structure.” Blaming the then Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, the minister said, “He lied to the National Integration Council, he lied to the Supreme Court and he lied to the Central government.”
Chidambaram quoted former chief of Ram Janambhoomi Nyas Ramchandra Pramahans’ submission to the Liberhan Commission, wherein he admitted to have raised the slogan of ‘ek dhakka aur do, Babri Masjid tod do,’ thus rejecting the BJP’s contention that it was a spontaneous act. “At least he had the courage of conviction to admit before the commission,” the Home Minister said about Paramhans.
Questioning the BJP’s claims of spontaneity, he recalled how LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi held a breakfast meeting with Vinay Katiyar and others Kar Seva strategists and asked them, “Please, inform the nation and this House what transpired at this meeting”.
At one stage, seeing their stalling tactic fail, a BJP member threw a paper ball towards treasury benches, provoking Congress members to rush towards the aisle. But without pausing his speech, Chidambram pushed back his party colleagues with the brush of his hand, not allowing the BJP to succeed in their attempt.
The BJP was upset over an unparliamentary remark made earlier by Congress member Beni Prasad Verma against former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Stung by this, the BJP members protested and asked Beni to apologise. Beni’s reluctance forced the House to be adjourned for 10 minutes.
