Babri Masjid demolition was carried out by Hindus, not as members of Shiv Sena or BJP: Chandrakant Patil

With his remarks that not a single Shiv Sena worker was present when the Babri Masjid was being brought down caused a flutter, Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Chandrakant Patil on Tuesday clarified those who razed the structure were Hindus and they cannot be segregated as Shiv Sainiks or BJP men.

Following Patil's remarks, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray has demanded that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde either step down or ask Patil to resign.

Patil revealed that CM Shinde called him on Tuesday morning after his remarks caused a row and asked him to clarify.

“Nobody participated in 'karseva' (movement to demolish the Babri structure) as members of their parties but as Hindus. At the time of the demolition (in December 1992), there was no separation between Shiv Sena workers and non-Shiv Sena workers. All participated as Hindus,” Patil told reporters in Pune on Tuesday.

When asked whether workers of Bharatiya Janata Party also didn't participate in the demolition, Patil said, “Neither BJP nor Shiv Sena (then undivided) was present there. All were present under the leadership of Vishwa Hindu Parishad as Hindus”.

"Does it mean Shiv Sena did not participate in the demolition?" Patil wondered.

“From leaders like Satish Pradhan (of undivided Shiv Sena) all were part of the 'Ram Janmabhoomi Andolan' but it was always led by the VHP and its leader (late) Ashok Singhal. (Late) Anand Dighe (veteran Shiv Sainik and mentor of CM Shinde) had sent a gold brick from Thane to Ayodhya," Patil added.

The former state BJP president also said he didn't mean to disrespect Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray in any way during his interview released on Monday evening by a Marathi news channel.

“Balasaheb Thackeray had even taken the onus of the entire incident (demolition of the masjid). However, I will not react to the comments made by Uddhav Thackeray today against me,” he added.

Notably, Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray has often been quoted as saying he was proud if any of his Sainiks had taken part in the demolition of the structure.

The Shiv Sena led by Shinde and the BJP share power in Maharashtra.

Patil revealed that CM Shinde called him on Tuesday morning and asked him to clarify. "He even told me that his mentor Anand Dighe had sent a gold brick to Ayodhya," the minister added.