'Advani looked euphoric': Babri testimony

RAE BARELI, UTTAR PRADESH: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani "looked euphoric" when he declared in Ayodhya on Dec 6, 1992, shortly before the demolition of the Babri Masjid, that a Ram temple would be built on the site, a senior police officer, Anju Gupta, testified before a special court here on Friday.

Gupta, who was then posted as assistant superintendent of police (ASP) in the temple town, was deposing before a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in this town, about 85 km from Lucknow.

The senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer did not mince words while describing the excitement in the top brass of the BJP on the day the Babri Masjid was demolished by radical Hindu activists.

"Advani not only looked euphoric but also declared before the huge crowds at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992 that the Ram temple would be built at the disputed site in the temple town," she said.

Advani, Gupta said, "gave quite a provocative speech for which he was applauded by his other party colleagues and the crowds.

"There were at least 100 persons present on the dais along with Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Vinay Katiyar, Uma Bharti, Sadhvi Rithambara, Ashok Singhal, S C Dikshit, and I remember their faces so distinctly that I would be able to still recognise at least 80 of them.

Vinay Katiyar, Uma Bharti, Sadhvi Rithambhara and others also made provocative speeches, the IPS officer testified in court.