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On the proposal by then prime minister P.V Narasimha Rao, in his meeting with sadhus in July 1992, that different lawsuits on the Ayodhya issue be consolidated to be decided by one judicial authority, Mr Advani said the BJP as a party did not object to it. But he added a caveat, “We have to see the history of this case. It has been going on since 1949. The history of this case is a lesson that this matter can be resolved mainly through negotiated settlement or through legislation as V.P. Singh had proposed. Even consolidation will not solve the matter though one would not object if the proposal comes.”
Mr Advani also disclosed that for months, Kamal Nath, then a minister in Rao cabinet, was in touch with him and had similar plans as suggested by V. P. Singh earlier. “But after several meetings a point came when I was told by R. Kumaramangalam that Mr Kamal Nath’s proposals were his own and did not have the PM’s approval. I was taken aback to hear that he was not authorised. In fact, he had even showed me draft proposals and at no point I felt he was unauthorised. I still feel so,” Mr Advani said.
Responding to a question on how, after the government acquired 2.77 acres of land near the Babri masjid, demolitions of smaller temples were carried out, Mr Advani said this could best be answered by the people involved. “I or the BJP was not involved in these matters,” he said. When Liberhan counsel Anupam Gupta wondered if it was not anomalous to demolish other temples to construct a Ram temple, Mr Advani persisted with his earlier answer.
On the kar seva in July 1992, Mr
Advani made it clear that the call was given by sadhus and the BJP was
only supporting it. However, he added, “We were firm that the court orders
should not be violated.” He also admitted that during the course of this
action there was interaction between the UP government and the BJP leadership
in Delhi.
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