Khurana keeps up offensive against Advani

New Delhi, July 17 (UNI) Keeping up his offensive against BJP leader L K Advani, former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana today said that Mr Advani had taken out the Ram Rath Yatra in 1991 to enlarge his ''own size'' rather than by any feeling to build a Ram Temple at Ayodhya.

Talking to reporters, Mr Khurana said Mr Advani always had his own interests above party or national interests. He said Mr Advani orchestrated several times the slogan "Kasam Ram ki Khaten Hain Mandir Wahin Banayegen" (We swear by God Ram, Temple will be built at Ramjanambhoomi site in Ayodhya) but he never talked about it when he was Home Minister or Deputy Prime Minister in the NDA government.

Moreover taking advantage of his position, he had got his name removed from the Babri Masjid Demolition case, although he was the main accused, he said. This had been proved by the Supreme Court ruling which brought back his name in the case, he said.

The former Rajasthan Governor met Home Minister Shivraj Patil on Saturday to hand over a copy of a letter he had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in which he demanded an inquiry into the conduct of Mr Advani when he was Home Minister. Mr Khurana had accused Mr Advani of helping some BJP leaders involved in the case and did not allow F.I.Rs to be filed.

Mr Khurana announced that he would hold a press conference jointly with Congress leader R.K. Anand tomorrow or day after on Kandahar episode in which they would expose the 'real' reason behind letting off the dreaded terrorists along with money in exchange of hijacked IA Plane passengers.

An expelled BJP leader, Mr Khurana, released another letter which he had sent to the Prime Minister in which he had highlighted "another instance of hatching the criminal conspiracy by L K Advani and his other cohorts which led to demolition of Babri Mosque by provoking the VHP and RSS workers." More UNI KAS RP DS1356