Over Rs nine crore spent on Liberhan Commission: Govt

NEW DELHI: The government on Wednesday said it has spent over Rs nine crore on Liberhan Commission set up to probe the destruction of Ram Janma Bhoomi-Babri Masjid structure at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.

"An amount of Rs 900.02 lakh was spent on the Liberhan Ayodhya Commission of Inquiry," Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Maken told Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

The total amount of Rs 9.02 crore was given to the Commission during its 17-year long tenure. A highest of Rs 89.77 lakh was given to the Commission during 2008-09, Rs 68.58 during 2001-02 and Rs 62.63 lakh during 2002-03.

"The Liberhan Ayodhya Commission of Inquiry was set up for the purpose of making an inquiry into a definite matter of public importance, namely, the destruction of the Ram Janma Bhoomi-Babri Masjid structure at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992," Maken said.

"The Commission was set up on December 16, 1992 and was given extension on 49 occasions and the tenure of the Commission expired on July 31, 2009," the Minister said.

The Centre gave Rs 8.98 lakh during 1992-93, Rs 25.19 lakh in 1993-94, Rs 30.50 during 1994-95, Rs 36.61 in 1995-96 and Rs 38.43 in 1996-97.

The Minister said the government incurred expenses of Rs 45.86 lakh during 1997-98, Rs 52.72 lakh in 1998-99, Rs 51.65 in 1999-2000, Rs 49.54 during 2000-01, Rs 60.19 lakh in 2004-05, Rs 54.93 in 2005-06, Rs 50.44 during 2006-07, Rs 49.39 lakh in 2007-08 and Rs 62 lakh during 2009-10.