New Delhi:
The BJP took an aggressive stance on Monday morning, accusing the government of leaking the Liberhan Commission report to the press before it was tabled in Parliament.
Bringing up the issue in the Lok Sabha as soon as Parliament proceedings began on Monday morning, Leader of the Opposition LK Advani said he was shocked to see a newspaper report that it had access to the commission report and that party leader and the mention that former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had been indicted.
"I can face the challenge of such charges", Advani said. But to talk about the indictment of a leader like Vajpayee was shocking, he added, to cries of shame from BJP MPs. Advani demanded that the report be tabled immediately in Parliament.
He pointed out that he had deposed before the Liberhan Commission over 10 days and said that the Babri demolition was the "saddest moment of my life." He said while he was proud of his association with the Ayodhya movement, he had been distressed at the demolition.
Other Opposition leaders, including Mulayam Singh Yadav and those of the Left, demanded that the report be tabled immediately. They too asked how the report had leaked. They also pointed to the fact that the newspaper report quoted Home Ministry sources and demanded to know how.
In the Rajya Sabha, the BJP's Arun Jaitley said the fact that the report had leaked while the Parliament was in session and before it was tabled was a slight.
Chidamabaram was at pains to explain that there was just one copy of the Liberhan report and that was in his custody. And that no home ministry official had spoken to the Press.
Jaitley said he had no reason to doubt the home minister. But " the only other copy is with the Liberhan commission ... So the breach of privilege is with the commission"
The House, he said, "could not be a silent spectator to its dignity being lowered in this manner."
In the Rajya Sabha too the Opposition demanded that the report be tabled immediately, with some members voicing concern that now there would be reports everyday in the newspapers. They also sought an assurance that such leaks would not happen again.
There was furore in the Upper House thereafter and it was adjourned.
Bringing up the issue in the Lok Sabha as soon as Parliament proceedings began on Monday morning, Leader of the Opposition LK Advani said he was shocked to see a newspaper report that it had access to the commission report and that party leader and the mention that former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had been indicted.
"I can face the challenge of such charges", Advani said. But to talk about the indictment of a leader like Vajpayee was shocking, he added, to cries of shame from BJP MPs. Advani demanded that the report be tabled immediately in Parliament.
He pointed out that he had deposed before the Liberhan Commission over 10 days and said that the Babri demolition was the "saddest moment of my life." He said while he was proud of his association with the Ayodhya movement, he had been distressed at the demolition.
Other Opposition leaders, including Mulayam Singh Yadav and those of the Left, demanded that the report be tabled immediately. They too asked how the report had leaked. They also pointed to the fact that the newspaper report quoted Home Ministry sources and demanded to know how.
In the Rajya Sabha, the BJP's Arun Jaitley said the fact that the report had leaked while the Parliament was in session and before it was tabled was a slight.
Chidamabaram was at pains to explain that there was just one copy of the Liberhan report and that was in his custody. And that no home ministry official had spoken to the Press.
Jaitley said he had no reason to doubt the home minister. But " the only other copy is with the Liberhan commission ... So the breach of privilege is with the commission"
The House, he said, "could not be a silent spectator to its dignity being lowered in this manner."
In the Rajya Sabha too the Opposition demanded that the report be tabled immediately, with some members voicing concern that now there would be reports everyday in the newspapers. They also sought an assurance that such leaks would not happen again.
There was furore in the Upper House thereafter and it was adjourned.
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