UP, Bihar MPs submit privilege motion against Bal Thackeray

UP, Bihar MPs submit privilege motion against Bal Thackeray

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/StoryPrint.aspx?ID=NEWEN20080043147&ch=633727682118818750

The Members of Parliament from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have submitted a breach of privilege motion against Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray for making remarks against them. They now want action taken against him. Even Speaker Somnath Chateerjee has ruled that the remarks were contempt of the House. This could mean serious trouble for the 82-year-old Sena chief. The Speaker may refer it to the privilege committee or take up the matter in the House. Thackeray may be asked to depose, he may be reprimanded or worse sent to jail, but that will be a tough task. Maharashtra chief minister is still talking to lawyers, while Shiv Sainiks are still talking hate. "I think it's a conspiracy against Maharashtra," said Sanjay Raut, leader, Shiv Sena. In an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamna, Thackeray made reference to the fodder scam and said that poverty and unemployment in these states were creating problems for the whole nation. He also referred to 'Lalu Prasad-style politicians' and RJD MP Prabhunath Singh who he says, deserves to be in jail. "They (Bihar MPs) say that Mumbaikars' brains are rotten, they don't have their country's interest in mind, but such a stand by these MPs will trouble their brethren in Mumbai," Thackeray said the article. "Fodder is also eaten by the politicians there. It's because poverty, unemployment and hunger in that state impacts the whole nation," he remarked. Legal options Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi over the issue and said that his government is seeking legal opinion. "Even if the editorial has upset a particular community, or created a law and order problem, unless we know what section has been violated, we cannot take any action. That is why we have sought immediate legal opinion and will take all necessary action," Deshmukh said. Even Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has commented on the issue. "We request the prime minister to call a meeting where politicians from both the states should meet and sort out the differences," said Nitish Kumar.

Role of bal thakrey in babri majisd

COMMUNAL POLITICS CLIMAX AND DOWNFALL 

OCTOBER 1-15, 2005 - BY ASGHAR ALI ENGINEER.

Role of bal thakrey in babri majisd 

http://www.csss-isla.com/arch%20105.htm

Communal politics, being highly emotional, is heady and creates strong illusion of success. Those who indulge in communal politics create emotional hysteria among their followers. However, every observer of such politics knows that such hysteria does not last long and disappears as quickly as it creates such hysteria. It is like strong heady wine. We in India have had many experiences such emotional politics.

The best example is that of partition hysteria. The Muslim League had no concrete programme of action. It had one point programme: creation of Pakistan. The direct action day resulted in massacre of thousands of people. Well, Pakistan did come into existence at the cost of one million lives and it could never become a democracy, let alone a stable democracy. And soon Muslim League disappeared from the scene, a Party which created a country did not survive longer than a decade. Even when it was revived later during Zia-ul-Haq's time it could not capture the imagination of the people. It remained almost a dead horse. It was Pakistan People's Party (PPP) which became very popular in late sixties and early seventies.

Pakistan was also a heady wine for a section of Muslims in pre-independence India. But it did not bring any concrete benefit to Muslim masses. Only the elite benifted. It is important to note that though communal hysteria is created in the masses but it benefits politically and economically only the elite of the community. The masses are ultimately left high and dry. Masses are made to believe that the movement is for them and they often sacrifice their lives under that illusion. After the hysteria they realise that they were used as an instrument.

When I was investigating the Ahmedabad riots of 1981, which deeply affected the dalits too, some dalit leaders told me that now we have understood the game of the BJP and they use us as instruments for their politics. Now we will refuse to become their hatha (instrument) and kill Muslims. But communal politics is quite heady and these poor dalits again became their instrument in 1992 and 2002.

The late eighties saw communal politics at its height in India. The BJP which had adopted sober programme in 1980 (of secularism and Gandhian socialism) lost 1984 elections very badly and could get as less as two seats in Parliament. Then the BJP began to play communal game with a vengeance and by 1990 created a hysteria among the Hindu masses (especially the OBCs and Dalits) on the issue of Ram temple. The slogan mandir wahin banaenge (we will construct Ram temple there only i.e. at the site of Babri Masjid) successfully created mass hysteria along the Hindus and a sense of great insecurity among Muslims.

The BJP began to touch new heights, especially in the Hindi heartland in 1990 when L.K.Advani took out Rath Yatra for arousing mass hysteria among the Hindus. Many secularists had then pointed out that the Rath Yatra was undertaken to counter the promulgation of the implementation of Mandal Commission as its implementation had created great enthusiasm among the lower caste Hindus and they were going to lend massive support to Mr. V.P. Singh, the then Prime Minister and the BJP wanted to win over these low caste Hindus. The BJP had no economic or welfare programme for them which V.P. Singh had so it played the mandir card to create mass hysteria among them.

You need an 'other' and particularly a 'religious other' against whom such a hysteria can be created. For Muslim League it was the Hindu and for the BJP the Muslim. Muslims were transformed into an enemy, which need to be attacked. Muslims were projected as descendents of Babar who was an invader and so the slogan babar ki aulad jao Pakistan aur Qabrastan (O! children of Babar go to Pakistan or to qabrastan). Muslims could be easily targeted as there is long history behind that and so it was easy to create a mass hysteria against them.

Mr. L.K. Advani became an instant hero and wherever he went during his rath yatra he attracted large number of people. And not only Advani but also other leaders like Sadhvi Rithambara and Uma Bharti who became star attraction as they spewed poison against Muslims and Rithambara did in even sexually suggestive language. Also, there was back ground to it. The people of India were tired of long Congress role and the Congress leaders became synonymous with corruption and Mr. Advani and others projected the Congress as a "party with a difference", a clean party which could provide alternative to the Congress misrule. And Muslims were projected as the "pampered minority and responsible for keeping the Congress in power.

Thus Muslims could be doubly targeted in creating a mass hysteria. They were children of those who demolished their temples, particularly the Ram temple at Ayodhya and those who were responsible for keeping the corrupt Congress in power. The BJP thus came to power though with the help of other 'secular' allies. And now mass hysteria began to recede as it happened in the case of Muslim League in Pakistan.

Now the BJP had to face hard realities of ruling over the country. Neither it could do anything for constructing the temple nor it could maintain its party with a difference" which it had so assiduously projected. The mass hysteria was over and hard realities were staring in its face. Also being in coalition it had to follow the coalition dharma (coalition religion) and it could not afford to antagonise its 'secular' partners. Thus it could neither satisfy its extremist friends among Hindutvawadis, nor could it satisfy its secular friends and supporters. It could not deliver on any front.

Sometimes it had to boost up its extremist image and some times its moderate one. The extremists became more extremists creating un-resolvable dilemmas. The VHP wanted temple to be constructed and BJP would not only loose its other allies but would also defy constitutional provisions by defying law courts, if it at all tried to construct the Ram Temple. Caught in this dilemma the BJP fast lost its image even as a Hindutva party, let alone a party with clean image. The media exposed several scandals of corruption.

The communal forces succeed in raising such mass hysteria but soon get thoroughly discredited and no amount of efforts can revive them. The people feel cheated by them and they loose all support and even begun to disintegrate. The BJP is facing similar dilemma today. Mr. Advani, who was the main architect of BJP's image building is being asked to quit his job as the President of that party. His exit is really disgraceful for him. The RSS and VHP hotheads are extracting their pound of flesh. Advani's remarks about Jinnah's secularism can hardly be swallowed by extremists. They do not think; they only believe in some dogmas and for them Jinnah is a villain in toto and cannot be thought of otherwise. But that is not the only reason for Advani's exit. But the Jinnah controversy provided an excuse which the Sangh Parivar was looking for.

Mr. Narendra Modi's fate is no different either. He also used the technique of mass hysteria to win the Gujarat assembly elections with two-third majority. The whole Sangh Parivar celebrated his victory and Modi began to be projected as a role model for entire Parivar. The young leaders of Sangh Parivar even said that we have found a model for winning elections (i.e. massacre minorities, create hysteria and win elections) and we will use this model to win elections in other states.

But soon they were in for a shock. Let alone others Narendra Modi began to loose his following among his own Party members. The mass hysteria soon evaporated and Narendra Modi's dictatorial ways alienated his followers. The dissidents from his party are now demanding his resignation or removal from the chief ministership of Gujarat. His communal oratorical skills are of no help to him. So far he has been protected by Shri L.K.Advani but now Mr. Advani himself is in serious trouble.

Thus from great hero Modi is fast sliding towards political oblivion. People like Advani or Narendra Modi have nothing to be proud of nor will they ever be remembered for any positive contribution towards greatness of India. If anything they will be remembered for causing deaths of hundreds of innocent people through their provocative speeches. Even Shri A.B. Vajpayee is not likely to go down in history as a sober statesman though he aspires to be one. He failed to show courage of conviction to take action against Narendra Modi when he was provoking carnage against minorities.

The fate of Shiv Sena, another communal outfit from Maharashtra is no different. It once proudly claimed to be the only genuine Hindutvawadi party and Bal Thackeray even claimed publicly that his boys struck first blow at Babri Masjid. Today Shiv Sena is in deep trouble. It also came to power by trashing minorities and was responsible for Mumbai riots of 1992-93 which had, like the Gujarat riots of 2002, had shaken the conscience of the whole nation.

Bal Thackeray's hold on the Marathi people has been seriously weakened. His followers whom he took great pride in, are deserting him. It is a sinking ship now. Its vote base is being fast eroded. It may soon find itself on the margins of Maharashtra politics. Its strong holds are crumbling.

Thus it will be seen that o political party can survive on communal fare for long. Like a heady wine it goes up fast but then declines even faster. Such parties do not have any base or even ideals to claim people's support. Hate politics has serious limitations.

 Post-Guj riots, Bal Thackeray saved Modi from sack

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/postguj-riots-bal-thackeray-saved-modi-fro/427931/

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has said he prevailed on BJP leader L K Advani not to remove Narendra Modi from the chief ministerial chair in Gujarat after the Godhra riots.

"Modi gaya to Gujarat gaya (If Modi is gone, Gujarat will also slip out of BJP hands)," Thackeray claimed as telling Advani at the Mayor's bungalow in Mumbai.

"There were hectic moves to remove Modi from the post after the Godhra riots. We clearly told Advani that Gujarat will be lost if Modi is removed," Thackeray in an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said on Wednesday.

Thackeray also objected to BJP general secretary Gopinath Munde equating Modi's leadership with that of his late brother-in-law Pramod Mahajan. "Why compare Mahajan and Modi?” he asked.

"BJP is not going to get another Mahajan and his absence would always be felt by the party," Thackeray said.

Thackeray's comments came amid strain in the Sena-BJP ties and a day after media reported that Advani's desire to meet Bal Thackeray on Tuesday could not materialise.

Advani was in Mumbai on Tuesday to attend a function where he was given Rs 11 crore for the election fund by the city BJP unit.

Anna Replies To Bal Thackeray, I Had Sent 3 Shiv Sena Ministers Packing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss6pENDpYA4

Anna Replies To Bal Thackeray, I Had Sent 3 Shiv Sena Ministers Packing
Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare today gave a firm response to Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray's criticism reminding him that three Shiv Sena ministers were "sent home packing" after he sat on fast. Hazare said, "I respect him because of his age. Because of old age, he is saying whatever suits him. Earlier too, he (Bal Thackeray) withdrew his statements against me thrice. I don't have any personal issue with him. "

Congressman sues Bal Thackeray on 'Saamana scoops'

Mumbai: Mumbai Congress president Kripashankar Singh, who has slapped a legal notice on Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray for publishing 'defamatory' articles against him in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana'.
Kripashankar has written to the Sena chief offering to exchange properties.
"Balasaheb, you and your newspaper are publishing unsubstantiated facts about me and my family's property. Whatever properties you allege that I own, you are free to take. Whatever properties you and your family members actually own, please give those to me in return," Singh's letter said.
Singh has also threatened Thackeray with a civil suit to claim compensation of Rs 10 crore, spokesperson of Mumbai Congress Kishore Joshi said.
'Saamana' has been publishing a series of articles against Singh, disclosing the details of his alleged movable and immovable property and alleged irregularities committed by him.
The legal notice said news reports were published with the intention of gaining political mileage. It has said that apart from Thackeray,..

Mumbai riots: Deshmukh says no proof against Bal Thackeray

At a time when individuals and organisations are seeking implementation of the Srikrishna Commission report on the 1992-93 Mumbai riots and demanding action against those behind the riots, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has given a clean chit to Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, saying there is no evidence against him.
“There is a reference to Balasaheb Thackeray (in the Srikrishna report), but there is no evidence (against him),” Deshmukh told The Indian Express while speaking on his government’s three years in office. “We can’t make out cases just like that. We have to go by legal advice. Deposition with a commission of inquiry is not admissible in a court of law.”
On Bal Thackeray and the Shiv Sena, the Srikrishna Commission had this to say: “There is no doubt that the Shiv Sena and the Shiv Sainiks took lead in organising attacks on Muslims and their properties, from the level of Shakha Pramukhs to Shiv Sena Pramukh Bal Thackeray, who like a veteran general, commanded his loyal Shiv Sainiks to retaliate by organised attacks against Muslims.”
According to Deshmukh, even Shiv Sena leader Madhukar Sarpotdar, booked for his alleged role in the riots, had been acquitted. “When I took over the reins of the state (during his first stint as CM from 1999 to 2003), we had formed a special task force to examine the cases and send them to court... it takes time. We were required to work afresh on these cases with a view to collect clinching evidence.”
He said while that the commission took five years to complete the inquiry and the Sena-BJP government (from 1995 to 1999) had cast aside the report, his government had been instrumental in reviving the matter. He reiterated that his government was committed to take action as per recommendations of the report and would do everything possible to bring the culprits to book.
The Deshmukh government had appointed a committee to examine cases registered with the commission. The panel recommended 32 most serious cases for trial by special courts. Four special courts were appointed by the High Court last week on the request of the state.

SRI KRISHNA COMMISSION REPORT

MONTHLY    *    Vol 12-09 No:141    *   SEPTEMBER 1998/ JAMADI-UL-AWWAL 1419H email: editor@islamicvoice.com 

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SRI KRISHNA
COMMISSION REPORT

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Srikrishna Commission Report
Demand for the Implementation of Srikrishna Commission Report
Minority Groups on Srikrishna Report


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Srikrishna Commission Report
By M. Hanif Lakdawala
One of the parameters to judge a civilized society is its impartial judiciary and application of law equally to one and all, no innocent being punished and none of the guilty, howsoever high and mighty, spared.

The family members of 1,500 people killed, 1,829 injured and 165 missing in the gruesome riots of December 1992, and January 1993 in Mumbai are denied justice till this date. A society which denies justice to its citizens cannot be called just and civilized.

Setting up commissions of inquiry is a knee-jerk response by those in authority whenever they anticipate a building-up of public outrage. The public in turn has become cynical of these commissions and their reports.

In the case of B.N. Srikrishna commission report, however, the citizens cannot afford to be cynical. The psyche of the city after the 1992-1993 riots had been ruptured. Mumbai, till then a land of opportunity and amity between the different strata of the society, turned out to be a requiem for a voice of sanity and peaceful co-existence, after the riots.

Inspite of the Shiv-Sena Government's efforts-to, first put the report in cold storage, then a shameful act of maligning the character of an honest and an upright judge by playing communal card, the truth has come out in open exposing the perpetrators of the holocaust to public scrutiny.

The commission has submitted its report in two volumes. The first consists of seven chapters, covering the background leading to the riots of December 1992 and January 1993 and gives its finding and recommendations commensurate with its terms and reference.

Volume II of the report discusses the evidential nuances and detailed narration of events, in respect to 26 police stations under the jurisdiction of the Mumbai Police Commissionerate.

Besides, it contains the analysis of the statements by political leaders, journalists and certain police officers.

Displaying exemplary courage, justice B.N. Srikrishna has produced a report that is unflinching in its conclusion that it has implicated the Shivsena and its leadership in the Mumbai riots of 1992-93. The report has squarely blamed Shivsena supremo Bal Thackeray, who commanded his loyal Shiv Sainiks to retaliate by organised attacks against Muslims.

Equally important was the Srikrishna's report's indictment of the Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Joshi, and M.P. Mr. Madhukar Sarotdar for their defence of the sort of incendiary propaganda that ignited the riots of January 1993 in their exposition of a "doctrine of retaliation" suggesting the "Shivsena's terror" was the "true guarantee of the safety of citizens".

As expected, justice B.N. Srikrishna does not spare the Congress for its "vacillation", "effete political leadership", and for allowing factional feuds to fuel the mayhem that tore Mumbai's social fabric asunder. Both Mr. Sharad Pawar, the then defence minister and his adversary, Mr. Sudhakarrao Naik, the Chief Minister, are hauled up in the report.

Justice Srikrishna had a detailed analysis of police role during the 1992-93 riots. In his report he has indicted 15 police officers including then joint commissioner of police R.D. Tyagi, and 16 police constables for their 'delinquency' during the riots.

The commission has traced the roots of the riots to L.K. Advani's Rathyatra and the celebration of the demolition of Babri Masjid by some Hindus. The commission has taken exception to certain slogans like "mandir vahee-banayenge" and "Is desh mein rehana hoga to Vande Mataram Khana hoga".

For the riot's victims, the Srikrishna commission has held a significance that goes beyond the merely therapeutic. It remains the last hope of a traumatised populace for settling the record straight, for identifying loopholes in the administration and above all, for securing justice.

Of the Maharashtra government's logic of 'Let bygones be by gones', justice Srikrishna opines that, "By that logic, you would have to scrap the entire criminal law. It is based on the theory of retribution -identify the criminal and punish him. As a judge it is my duty to see that the guilty are punished. If a judge says, "Let bygones be bygones", he is abdicating his responsibility."

British, Jurist Sir Cyril Salmon, in a lecture on 'Tribunals of inquiry' had observed that in all countries, certainly in those which enjoy freedom of speech and free press, moments occur .. causing a nation-wide crisis of confidence in the integrity of public life.. when it does, it is essential that public confidence should be restored, for without it no democracy can long survive.. " Indisputably, the Mumbai riots of 1992-93 constituted such a moment.

There is a conspicuous tendency within political and official circles to minimise the scale of the murder, mayhem, arson and sheer human suffering in the riotous anarchy which convulsed Mumbai during 1992-93 communal riots.

Regrettably, most of the criminal cases lodged during the riots by the police were abruptly closed pending the commission's report. Action against errant police officers was also withheld on the same grounds. Justice Srikrishna, has now said that the time has come for "retribution" and for the guilty to be exposed.

Laxity in enforcing the writ of the law and meting out the punishment prescribed by the law will send out all the wrong signals to both law-breakers and law enforcers all over the country.

Yet it needs to be re-emphasised that the enforcement of the law and due process is almost entirely depending upon the pressure of public opinion, because given half a chance, politicians and policemen-who one can safely assume are guilty of dereliction of duty, if not worse-will scuttle or ignore the commission's recommendations. It is for the people of this great country to build up enough pressure through peaceful means to ensure that justice is not only done but also seen to be done.

The irony is that the individuals and the party accused of committing the crime are in power. It is up to them to act upon the recommendations of the Srikrishna commission and punish the guilty. The Sena-BJP alliance government, instead of making expiation for their sins, is busy offering oblations and paying obeisance to their Chief Bal Thackeray.

Democracy means the ruler must serve the interest of citizens. In a republic, there are no divine rights. To preserve the pluralistic nature of our social and political order, and by that same token, ensure that fanatics, irrespective of their religious affiliations, are kept on a tight leash, can only be achieved through providing justice to all, at any cost. Only justice can act as an anodyne for our fractured social fabric.


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Demand for the Implementation of Srikrishna Commission Report
Prof. Dr. Mumtaz Ali Khan
Srikrishna Commission Report is a well argued, well evidenced and thought-provoking document produced by Justice Srikrishna, a God fearing, socially sensitive and judiciously conscious judge of the High Court of Mumbai. The Commission was set up primarily to look into the causes, courses and consequences of the riots which disfigured the fair image of the cosmopolitan city of Mumbai in December 1992 and January 1993. This commission was set up by the Congress government in Maharashtra. The Report was submitted to the present BJP-Shiva Sena combined government of Maharashtra.

This Report which was reluctantly laid on the table of the houses of Maharashtra Legislature has become a controversial one. It is equally significant as it contains many pertinent sociological inputs. It exposes the deeply poisoned mind and foul hands of some activists of BJP-Shiva Sena. It upholds the great social and moral values that the vast majority of Hindus have retained despite the riots initiated by some Muslims and Hindus. The tolerance preached by the broad philosophy of great sages and scriptures of the Hindus is now seen practised by a vast majority of them.

Let me analyse in brief the reactions of the press and people at large to the contents of the Report. What are the reactions of the various political parties? In general, as said earlier, the vast majority of the Hindu intellectuals have condemned the unruly behaviour of the Shiva Sena, namely Bal Thackeray, who alone is responsible for the well planned and executed attacks on the Muslims. The heavy losses in terms of both lives and properties are said to be unprecedented. All the political parties barring Shiva Sena BJP have outrightly condemned them and appreciated the commission. The press which reflects the realities of the society has condemned them. Thus, the Report of Srikrishna is accepted by the whole nation barring a microscopic section of the Hindu population.

The prejudice of Shiva Sena BJP is seen from the two decisions of the Maharashtra government run by Shiva Sena BJP. This government had dissolved the commission itself on frivolous grounds as it knew the music it had to face when the Report was out. It is only the great Atal Bihari Vajpayee during his first short lived tenure as the Prime Minister who asked the Maharashtra government to allow the commission to renew its work. Perhaps Shiva Sena might be cursing Vajpayee today.

The Report is simply rejected by the Shiva Sena BJP government on the ground that it is "Pro-Muslim and anti-Hindu". There cannot be anything more absurd and illogical than this. How can Srikrishna be pro-Muslim? It is true that his reasoning is virtually opposed to that of this combined ruling party. While the former is a judge free from biases and prejudices, the latter are just the opposite. While Srikrishna says that the main provocation for the Muslims was the demolition of Babri Masjid and this provocation was spontaneous, the Shiva Sena BJP rulers say that they have a different understanding of the genesis. It argues that the special civil code for the minorities, the reversal of the Supreme Court Judgment in Shah Bano Case, the Muslim opposition to the signing of Vande Mataram, the use of loud speakers for Namaz, honorarium granted for the Maulvis and the concessions given for the Haj pilgrims and so on are the real causes for the bitterness among the Hindus.

These feelings are confined to the BJP Siva Sena groups only and as such do not vouch for the entire Hindus. No other group or party has ever raised these issues so far. In fact, Muslims in general are not demanding subsidy for the Haj. Muslims want honest implementation of the various constitutional rights and safeguards for them. If they demand and if the government does it, how does this assume communal colour?

It is of great importance to point out what some great Hindus have said about this controversy. Mr. Tushar Gandhi, the great-grand-son of Mahatma Gandhi, the apostle of peace and harmony, filed a public interest writ petition in Mumbai High Court for directing the Maharashtra government and the Director General of Police to register Criminal cases against all those responsible for the 1992-93 riots. He has argued that the government cannot summarily dismiss the Report and the remarks made against Srikrishna are highly derogatory, contemptuous and unjustified.

Former Mumbai High Court Judge Justice H. Suresh has said "Srikrishna Report is a fair document and it was prepared on the evidence which was brought before justice Srikrishna. He has further said, (with reference to Bal Thackeray) "Today, even a former Prime-Minister like P.V. Narasimha Rao can be prosecuted, a former Chief Minister like Laloo Prasad Yadav can be prosecuted, US President Bill Clinton can be prosecuted". He means thereby why not Bal Thackeray be prosecuted.

In sum, if rule of law has to prevail, the Central government should dismiss the present Maharashtra Government, and ensure legal processes against the culprits not merely for the riots but also for insulting justice Srikrishna. The report and also the reactions of the secular Hindu leaders and the press should make Muslims in particular throughout the world realise that Hindus in general are the well-wishers of Muslims who are safe in their hands.


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Minority Groups on Srikrishna Report
By Andalib Akhter
NEW DELHI : At least 300 minority groups from Maharashtra have jointly petitioned the Supreme Court against the state government's rejection of the Srikrishna commission report finding on the 1992-93 Mumbai riots.

Named as "Action committee for the implementation of Srikrishna commission report" the petition filed on August 21, seeks a direction from the court to declare invalid, the Maharashtra government's, "memorandum of action to be taken" on Srikrishna report. By that memorandum, the state government had rejected the Srikrishna report and declared it as "biased".

The committee also appealed the supreme court to abolish the Article 3(4) of Inquiry Commission Act, which enables the government to reject the commission without any reason.

The action committee also seeks direction from the SC that the victims of Mumbai riots be given compensation as was done in case 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Later addressing a press conference the spokesman of the Action Committee Mr. C.M. Ibrahim said the rejection of the commission report by the Maharashtra government was a unusual step.

He said by rejecting a report prepared by a judge of High Court and terming it biased the state government has insulted the judiciary.

By terming the report anti-Hindu, the state government wanted to give a communal colour to the issue.

Meanwhile Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi on Aug 24 said here that he would prefer to resign than to take action against Bal Thackery and Shiv Sainks.


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