The Hindu : 'Advani, Joshi instigated karsevaks'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 06, 2003

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'Advani, Joshi instigated karsevaks'

Rae Bareilly July 5. Opening the arguments in the Ayodhya demolition case, the Central Bureau of Investigation today quoted statements of witnesses to claim in the Special Court that the Union Ministers, L.K. Advani and M.M. Joshi, and some others had delivered ``inflammatory speeches and instigated'' the karsevaks to ``demolish'' Babri Masjid.

Reading out the statements of about 39 witnesses before the special judge, V.K. Singh, CBI counsel S.S. Gandhi said the witnesses had averred that the accused including Mr. Advani, Mr. Joshi, Uma Bharti, Sadhvi Ritambhara and the senior VHP leader, Ashok Singhal, gave ``inflammatory'' speeches on the morning of December 6, 1992.

They had also ``instigated'' the karsevaks to demolish Babri Masjid, Mr. Gandhi said quoting the witnesses.

Counsel for the defendants S.S. Ahluwalia interrupted CBI counsel on a number of occasions and pleaded that there was no specific mention of what and when their clients gave the alleged speeches.

CBI counsel said the agency would produce before the court audio-video cassettes and newspaper clippings as evidence in the case.

Quoting witnesses, he said the accused had raised provocative slogans such as ``Ram lala hum aye hain, mandir yahin banayenge (we have come to build the temple here)'' on the fateful day.

The court, which granted exemption to all the accused from personal appearance today, fixed July 18 for further hearing.

PTI

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