Babri ghost returns to haunt Advani
Senior police officer says BJP leader made provocative speech
A senior police officer on Friday testified before a special Raebareli court that senior BJP leader L K Advani had made provocative speech and expressed joy after the disputed structure was brought down by the kar sevaks in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.
Testifying as a CBI witness in the case, IPS officer Anju Gupta, who was then Advani’s personal security officer, said that on that day Advani and other BJP and VHP leaders, including Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, Vinay Katiyar and Ashok Singhal, were present at the Ram Katha Kunj, which was barely 150 metres from the disputed site. Gupta’s submission on Friday is similar to the statement she made to the CBI earlier.
In 2003, a CBI court had acquitted Advani on grounds of insufficient evidence. But in 2005, based on Gupta’s statement, the Allahabad High Court reinstated the charges against him.
The special Raebareli court is hearing the demolition cases in which Advani, Joshi, Uma Bharti, Vinay Katiyar and VHP leaders Ashok Singhal, Giriraj Kishore, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya and Sadhvi Ritambara are the accused.
Currently on deputation with the Research and Analyses Wing (RAW), Gupta said she received Advani at Faizabad border. “He later reached the dais at Ram Katha Kunj where many other leaders were also present,” Gupta said in her testimony.
She said Advani made a provocative speech even as the kar sevaks were trying to rush to the disputed structure. “Mandir yehin banega” (the temple will be built at the disputed site), Advani said, among other things, in his speech, according to Gupta. The RAW officer told the court that the kar sevaks carried tools like shovels and rods. “There was no response from the police control room. The first dome fell at 13:45 hours followed by the second an hour later and the third at 15:30 hours,” she said.
Gupta said the leaders present at the Ram Katha Kunj hugged one another when the structure was demolished. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi also hugged each other, and sweets were distributed.
Advani wanted to speak to the then Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, the district magistrate (DM) and the superintendent of police. Later, Advani did have a telephonic conversation with Singh, she testified.
After receiving messages, the DM and the SSP reached the dais at Ram Katha Kunj and had a closed-door meeting with Advani and other BJP and VHP leaders, Gupta revealed.
Security arrangements
Disclosing that security arrangements on December 6, 1992 was very poor, Gupta said by way of an example that the karsevaks were virtually allowed to the disputed area in only those police vehicles in which the personnel would say 'Jai Shri Ram' in response to their uttering of the clarion call.
The role of the then Uttar Pradesh police chief S C Dixit, who was also on the dais, came under scrutiny when Gupta claimed that he congratulated the security personnel on duty, saying their names will be written in golden letters in the pages of history for their cooperation in the demolition and not taking any action against the karsevaks.
After Gupta’s cross-examination by the defence lawyers, the court posted the matter for further hearing for April 23 when Gupta’s cross-examination will continue.
Describing Gupta’s testimony “very significant”, Babri Masjid Action Committee convenor Zafaryab Jilani told Deccan Herald: “She is a responsible police officer and was there with Advani on the dais on the day of the demolition...her integrity and neutrality cannot be doubted.”
