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Liberhan panel to submit report by March |
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The country’s longest serving commission of enquiry headed by Justice M.S. Liberhan is reported to be giving final touches to its report.
Sources in the Commission say the panel, which has already got 47 extensions, “will not be needing another extension” and “will certainly submit its report before the end of the current term in March-end”.
The Commission, set up on December 16, 1992 by the Union Government for a period of three months, is inquiring into the sequence of events leading, and all facts and circumstances relating to, the occurrences at Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid complex on December 6, 1992, which led to the destruction of the structure.
Spectrum allocation raises a storm
Charges are flying thick and fast on a scam in the allocation of fourth licence in 2G mobile services. The CPI(M) on Nov. 6 alleged that the firms allocated the spectrum had sold off their shares and caused a loss of at least Rs. 60,000 crore to the public exchequer. The CPI(M) politburo demanded a probe into the scam.
Communications and Information Technology Minister A. Raja on the other hand asserted that there was no deviation from the National Telecom Policy, 1999 in allocating 2G spectrum and issuing licenses to new mobile operators. He said that he would resign if it was proved that his ministry favoured any company in the process.
Vaiko out of jail
MDMK leaders Vaiko and M. Kannappan were released from judicial custody in Chennai on Thursday, Nov. 6, two weeks after being arrested on sedition charges. When the case came up for hearing, the State did not seek an extension of custody, submitting that investigations into the complaint were over.
Continuing his tirade against the Centre and the State government, Vaiko told the media after his release that Tamils in Sri Lanka were losing lives because of the arms and ammunition and other strategic support provided by the Indian Government. He accused the UPA Government of betraying the Sri Lankan Tamils and said that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi is equally to blame as his party, the DMK, is a partner in the UPA.
Ganga declared national river
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has declared the Ganga India’s first national river. There will be a separate river basin authority to monitor its cleanliness in the state’s through which it flows.
The decision came at a review meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office, convened within three weeks of his publicised meeting with a delegation led by Shankracharya Swaroopanand Saraswati, who called for a central commission and for designating Ganga as a national river.
The move comes more than two decades after the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi set up the Central Ganga Authority in 1985.
The river basin authority would be headed by the Prime Minister and would have as its members Chief Minister of the States through which the 2500 km. long river flows.
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