Ram Janam Bhumi Babri Masjid has for long been a contentious issue between Hindus and Muslims and is  a matter that is strongly connected with the religious feelings of Hindu and Muslims. Babri Masjid was not only a religious emblem for Muslims but it was also a 16th century mosque of great historical value. Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992, by radical Hindu outfits. Soon after the demolition, communal violence broke out in various areas throughout the country – this violence claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent people and destroyed property worth rupees of crores.

After much criticism, the government set up the Liberhan Commission to investigate the circumstances that lead to the demolition of Babri Masjid at Ayodhaya. The commission was also asked to investigate the role played by the government of Uttar Pradesh including the roles played by the chief minister and members of his cabinet, the Uttar Pradesh administration and other individuals related to the issue. The commission started its sittings from 1995 and continued to record evidence till 2003. It examined around hundred witnesses, which included former prime ministers and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders as well. It started regular hearings from 1995 and held initial sittings in Lucknow and later sittings in Delhi.

The Liberhan Commission has become the country’s longest serving commission of enquiry. The Commission had been asked to submit a report within three months, by March 16, 1993. But the commission sought repeated extensions and received a total of 48 extensions in 17 years. About Rs8 crores was spent on the Commission; this includes expenses towards paying salaries. The contents of the Liberhan Commission report are yet to be disclosed by the government. However, the government has decided not to present the report in the current session of parliament.

All political parties are avoiding comment on the Liberhan Commission report. It appears that our political leaders do not have the courage to bring the truth before the people. The government does not seem intent on a resolution to this issue but will milk it for all it is worth for an advantage at election time. The fact that the government has chosen not to present the report in current session of parliament session reveals its intentions.

History shows that inquiry commission reports only gather dust and invite little or no action from government. If the government finds the final report inconvenient, it can simply dismiss it, as the Maharashtra government had in the case of the Srikrishna Commission report on the Mumbai riots that occurred in the wake of the demolition of the Babri Masjid. The Srikrishna Commission named 31 police officers “for actively participating in the riots, communal incidents and incidents of looting, arson and so on”. But the government rejected the report. The then Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi, accused Justice Srikrishna of being biased against Hindus. A disappointed Justice Srikrishna had later called for an 'institutional mechanism that ensures the government of the day does not have the discretion to reject a report if found inconvenient.'

It is believed that law is blind and that it follows the principal of equality; everyone is equal before the law. Now the big question is: will the law be permitted to perform its duty? Can justice be done after 17 years? Or will the Liberhan Commission report meet the same fate as that of that Srikrishna Commission? Will it be buried under dust? It is the onus of the government to present the report in parliament and take appropriate action against those found guilty. The whole country is waiting for justice.