Advani's deposition to Liberhan challenged in book by partyman

New Delhi, July 27: After Jaswant Singh, it is now D B Rai, the Faizabd District Police Chief at the time of Ayodhya demolition and former BJP MP, whose startling disclosures would soon be published and is likely to create fresh political difficulties for the party.

The book, 'Ayodhya, Aur Cheh Disambar ka Satya (Ayodhya and the truth of December 6), contains narratives that shows many of the leaders associated with the Ram Temple Movement in bad light. Mr Rai has tried to show that the Movement was just a means for the BJP to come to power.

As per the excerpts from the book, carried by weekly 'Outlook' in its latest edition, former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani addressed Kar Sevaks at Ayodhya on December six, 1992, contrary to his deposition before the Liberhan Commission that he did not do so.

The Commission, probing the demolition of Babri Masjid, is in the process of finalising its report.

Mr Rai, who had been suspended in the wake of the demolition, has written at many places in his book, that by the time Mr Advani finished his address, kar sevaks had climbed up to the dome of the mosque.

''Leaders of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, RSS and the BJP were taken aback by the sudden attack of kar sevaks. Mr Advani, who was addressing them, stopped and tried to dissuade them from their action... The act had started as soon as Mr Advani was to finish his address. He tried to make use of the loud speaker, but somebody had disconnected the wires......'' says Mr Rai in the book.

''...Ms Uma Bharti and Achraya Dharmendra, who are famous for their extremist nature, had come reportedly for keeping kar sevaks under control, but seeing the enthusism, they also started instigating them to pull down the disputed structure,'' says the book.

Mr Rai has also cited police and intelligence records and the letter written by the then Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary to one of the advisors of the then governor in support of his claim that Mr Adavani addressed kar sevaks on December six.

Mr Rai in his book also claims that Rajiv Gandhi through former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Veer Bahadur Singh offered the Vishwa Hindu Parishad a concrete formula to resolve the Ayodhya issue, but the Parishad and the BJP rejected it out of their ''greed for power''. Mr Rai also claimed that some BJP leaders stole away the cement meant for use in the construction of the wall of the Ram temple. He also held the high police and civil officers of the Uttar Pradesh government responsible for the demolition of the Babri masjid.

He has accused them of acting in a ''careless and high handed manner.

The BJP has also been put into the dock for not completing the inquiry into the deaths of kar sevaks in firing during the Mulayam Singh Yadav government.

Mr Rai said after the inquiry committe was formed, not a single meeting was held.

UNI