Ruling on Ayodhya charge-sheet soon - The Indian Express

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The Allahabad High Court is expected to rule shortly on ether
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 prime facie guilty in the Ayodhya case. The
CBI's charge-sheets in the Ayodhya case had accused Advani,
Joshi, Bharati and others of 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, hich would inevitably result in a colossal loss of
fife and property in the country by way of communal riots. "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 "disputed structure" in Ayodhya.

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

The charge-sheet adds:

"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 Rain temple at Ayodhya
>from October 30 would have to suffer serious conceqences," the
CBI charge-sheet states.

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

"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." On reaching Kanpur the
same day, Advani stated that "kar seva does not mean bhajans and
kirtans but start of construction of Ram temple irrespective of
the HC's decision and the kar seva will be performed with shovels
and bricks."

Joshi on reaching Mathura said "BJP would overcome ad temporary
obstructions in the way of construction of Ram temple."

"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 march near the disputed structure and
thus provoking the kar sevaks to demolish the structure."

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