Ruling on Ayodhya charge-sheet soon

NEW DELHI, April 26: The Allahabad High Court is expected to rule shortly on whether charges can be framed against the accused in the Babri ...

NEW DELHI, April 26: The Allahabad High Court is expected to rule shortly on whether charges can be framed against the accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case. Those who have been named as accused include Union Home Minister L K Advani, Human Resources Minister Murli Manohar Joshi and Minister of State for Youth and Sports Uma Bharati.

Jutice Bhalla had reserved his order early this month on a plea that criminal charges cannot be framed against 49 accused, including Advani, Joshi and Bharati, in the Ayodhya case on the ground that the CBI did not have material evidence to prove their role in the demolition.

Thirty-three of the 49 accused had filed this petition with the Allahabad High Court on October 20, following an order from the trial court to frame charges against Advani, Joshi, Bharati, Vijayaraje Scindia and 45 others. The Sessions Court had found all the 49 accused prima facie guilty in the Ayodhya case. The CBI8217;s charge-sheets in the Ayodhya case had accused Advani, Joshi, Bharati and othersof inciting public with the intention of promoting enmity between different communities and thus doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and national integration. They were also accused of injuring or defiling a place of worship with the intention to insult and outrage religious feelings of the Muslims, 8220;which would inevitably result in a colossal loss of life and property in the country by way of communal riots.8221; The two charge-sheets filed so far in the case referred to several public meetings separately held by the three leaders, in which they themselves committed to construct the Ram temple by removing the 8220;disputed structure8221; in Ayodhya.

In Advani8217;s case, the CBI referred to his rath yatra from Somnath to Ayodhya in September 1990, which, in Advani8217;s words as quoted by the CBI charge-sheet, 8220;was to establish Hindu identity in this nation and construction of the Ram temple would be the beginning in that direction.8221;

The charge-sheet adds:

8220;On October 10, 1990 in Pratapgarh,Advani warned that anybody who would attempt to cross the path of the rath yatra or come in the way of commencement of construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya from October 30 would have to suffer serious conceqences,8221; the CBI charge-sheet states.

When Kalyan Singh became UP Chief Minister on June 25, 1991, he, his colleagues and Joshi 8220;visited Ramjanambhoomi and took a vow to construct Ram temple there itself.8221;

8220;On December 1, 1992, Advani and Joshi left New Delhi for Varanasi and Mathura respectively to undertake a mobilisation journey from such destinations to culminate at Ayodhya or on before the scheduled date of kar seva.8221; On reaching Kanpur the same day, Advani stated that 8220;kar seva does not mean bhajans and kirtans but start of construction of Ram temple irrespective of the HC8217;s decision and the kar seva will be performed with shovels and bricks.8221;

Joshi on reaching Mathura said 8220;BJP would overcome all temporary obstructions in the way ofconstruction of Ram temple.8221; 8220;On Dec 6, 1992, Advani, Joshi, Ashok Singhal, Vinay Katiyar, Uma Bharati, Sadhvi Rithambara, were present and remained present during the long period when the demolition took place and provocative slogans, repeated announcements were made on the microphone by them from the manch near the disputed structure and thus provoking the kar sevaks to demolish the structure.8221;