People know it's BJP, says Cong

NEW DELHI: Even as it pronounced BJP’s role in bringing down the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya as settled, Congress on Monday subtly distanced itself from its then prime minister P V Narasimha Rao’s response, or lack of it, to stop the mosque’s demolition on December 6, 1992.

The party unofficially communicated that Rao’s dilemma was rooted in the constitutional impasse created by the BJP state government and UP governor’s refusal to recommend central intervention or President’s rule at that time. “Every PM, every leader has a dilemma. The point is how the leader responds to it,” a Congress leader said.

The Congress leader said the Rao government had leaned towards constitutional propriety, adding that it was, however, necessary to evaluate what constitutional propriety meant in the context of the unfolding developments in UP that were evidently leading up towards the mosque’s demolition.

“What needs to be debated is how do you come out of the impasse in such a situation if it again arrives in future,” a top leader said, setting out the line on Congress’ role in the episode. Justice Liberhan has reportedly said that the PM could not have done anything without the then governor’s recommendation.

The party hinted that the government’s action taken report (ATR) on Justice Liberhan’s findings could list the on-going court cases against BJP leaders in the matter, allowing UPA to field political questions what steps it was taking against those found guilty by 17-year old inquiry. Top BJP leaders L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and functionaries of the Sangh Parivar have been reportedly implicated by Liberhan report.

Speaking to the media, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said that the issue was settled in the mind of the people as far as BJP’s culpability in the matter was concerned. “Perceptionally, the indictment is very clear. The issue is settled in the minds of the people as to who is guilty and who is not. BJP and its affiliates are responsible (for the demolition),” Mr Tewari said.

Congress refuted BJP’s charges that it had leaked the report to the media and said the findings were, in any case, due for tabling in Parliament by December-end. Asked to comment on Rahul Gandhi’s reported statement that had former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi been alive the mosque would not have been demolished, Mr Tewari said: “It is a reiteration of the fundamental values and tenets of secularism in which he and his family believe in.”

The party said it was not ready to comment on the veracity of the Liberhan report, but said leakage is a serious issue and that the government should take cognisance of it.