Katiyar denies conspiracy in Babri razing, says it was demolished openly

His remarks came after a CBI court in Lucknow charged him, along with senior BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Union minister Uma Bharti and others, with criminal conspiracy in Babri case.

Lucknow/New Delhi, May 30: Charged with criminal conspiracy in the Babri mosque demolition case, BJP leader Vinay Katiyar on Tuesday insisted that "there was no conspiracy as the structure was razed openly" by a big crowd.

Attacking Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, he said the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister had himself admitted that 16 people were killed in 1990 when the police had opened fire at the 'karsevaks' and hence, he added that a case should have been lodged against him in connection with the incident.

"He (Mulayam) murdered them and he should be booked for it. The Babri Masjid was not there. The place belongs to the Ram temple and even the High Court has passed the order (to that effect)," said Katiyar.

His remarks came after a CBI court in Lucknow charged him, along with senior BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Union minister Uma Bharti and others, with criminal conspiracy in the 1992 Babri mosque demolition case.

"It is not right and there is no scope for conspiracy charges against us. It was not a conspiracy as whatever had happened had happened openly and lakhs of people were there. There could not be any conspiracy involving such a huge crowd," said Katiyar.

The accused had argued in court against the framing of charges against them, asserting that they had no role in the razing of the mosque and had instead, tried to stop it, but their discharge petition was rejected.

Katiyar further said, "It is good that the court is hearing the case on a daily basis, but the hearing itself should not have taken place as it is not appropriate to charge a few when lakhs of people were present at the scene."

The BJP leader claimed that he had not delivered a speech on December 6, 1992, when the 16th-century structure was demolished in Ayodhya.

PTI