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Centre extends term of panel probing Babri masjid demolition

The Central government has decided to extend beyond June 30, the term of the Liberhan Commission probing the Babri masjid demolition, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced in the Rajya Sabha today.

Replying to the special mention discussion on reports of the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya, the prime minister said the issue is not on the national agenda of governance of the Bharatiya Janata Party but others are interested in it. He said the BJP and the government is committed to abide by the court's ruling on the issue.

He said the question of construction of temple pillars in workshops is not a new one. "The carving has been going on for the past eight years. "

He said the work of polishing and construction of temple pillars started in Uttar Pradesh when Mulayam Singh Yadav was the chief minister there. But it has now been presented in such a way that it would create confusion in the minds of the people that all these construction activities started from March this year, when the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government came to power at the Centre.

He said even Rajesh Pilot as the internal security minister visited some of these construction sites, but at that time nobody raised the question of putting a ban on their construction activities.

He said even during the United Front government, the then home minister Indrajit Gupta received a letter where all these activities were mentioned, and a request was made to him for a ban on the construction activities. But Indrajit Gupta did not think it proper to do so, and that letter is now a property of the house, he added.

Vajpayee said, ''I think all members must want religious harmony in the country to remain, and should not make any such statements on such delicate issues.''

''The matter has already been delayed for quiet a long period, and such sensitive issues should not have been allowed to keep on pending. Everybody should make sincere efforts for an early verdict in this case,'' he said.

He said much water has flowed under the bridge since December 6, 1992, and now the area is under the control of the central government. Security forces and even a magistrate have been posted there. This had in fact created much hardship for devotees, he added.

UNI

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