Jain report in current session

NEW DELHI, July 15: The government today gave its assurance that the Jain Commission's final report and the action taken report in the Ra...

NEW DELHI, July 15: The government today gave its assurance that the Jain Commission8217;s final report and the action taken report in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case would be tabled in Parliament in the current session. Parliamentary Affairs minister Madan Lal Khurana, who gave this assurance, added the CBI would be asked to probe 8220;leaks8221; of the report to sections of the media.

Later speaking to newsmen outside the Parliament House, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee too said the report would be tabled in Parliament along with the Action Taken Report.

The Jain Commission8217;s findings were reported exclusively in a series by The Indian Express and this led to the issue being raised during Lok Sabha8217;s Zero Hour by Congress deputy leader in the House P Shiv Shanker.

Shanker said the issue was very important for the Congress and the rest of the country and the Centre owed it to the nation to share with the public details of the Jain Commission findings and what action the government had taken.

Headded the 8220;selective leaks8221; to the media had eroded faith in the country8217;s judicial system and the government must inquire how portions of the report were available to a section of the media. Khurana replied that a discussion could be held on this issue when the report would be placed before Parliament two or three days before the current session ended.

The issue dominated the Zero Hour and also led to a brief clash of opinion between Leader of the Opposition Sharad Pawar and Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav. Yadav felt the Congress was not serious on the issue which was quickly rebutted by Pawar. Pawar wondered how Yadav could know what the Congress felt on an issue very dear to them.

In the ensuing discussion, many leaders spoke and all wanted that the report be made public. Janata Dal leader Jaipal Reddy felt a 8220;threadbare8221; discussion should be held on the sensitive matter.

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Former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral said the Centre must share the CBI8217;s findings of its probe into the leak of theJain Commission8217;s interim report which was ordered four months ago.

Mulayam Singh aired his fears that the culprits identified by the Commission might flee the country and the Centre must take all steps to prevent this. Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy felt the report could have been leaked by the union home ministry as Justice Jain had said he was not responsible for it.

Justice Jain had said he made no copies of the report and the only copy available was submitted to home minister L.K. Advani. The issue also led to brief clash between the AIADMK and the DMK after ADMK member C. Gopal demanded the dismissal of the Karunanidhi government on the ground that the final report indicted former state minister and DMK leader Subbulakshmi Jagadesan.

DMK member and former union minister T.R. Baalu then read out portions of the reports published by The Indian Express to rebut Gopal8217;s allegation. Baalu said the AIADMK government had funded the LTTE from the state coffers and they were responsiblefor it.