Hounded by media, Liberhan seeks ‘privacy’

CHANDIGARH - Justice M.S. Liberhan, whose report on the 1992 Babri mosque demolition was tabled in parliament Tuesday, sought “privacy” as he was hounded by the media even when he went to an optician’s shop here. He maintained that he had clearly said everything in his report.

“Please respect my privacy. I can assure you, I will not speak to anyone (media),” Liberhan told mediapersons here.

Nearly a dozen media vehicles chased Liberhan’s luxury car to the city commercial hub, Sector 17, when he went to a leading optician’s shop here Tuesday evening.

Seeing so many cameras and mediapersons, hundreds of people gathered outside the shop, thinking that a celebrity had arrived there.

But in the morning, Liberhan was composed and asked the media to read his report on the 1992 Babri mosque demolition before asking questions even as the controversial document was tabled by the government in parliament.

“All questions have been answered in the report. You should go and read the report and come to me after that,” Justice Liberhan, who headed the one-man commission into the mosque demolition for over 17 years, said at his residence here.

Speaking at his bungalow in the city’s upscale Sector 9, Liberhan was cool and composed compared to his outburst Monday when he had asked the media to “get lost” after being asked if he had leaked the report.

Liberhan did not say anything else and went into his house.