Babri Masjid demolition has wounded country like Gandhi's assassination: Vijayan

A day after a CBI special court in Lucknowacquitted all the accused, including BJP veteran LK Advani, in the Babri Masjid demolition case, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said the 1992 incident was an unparalleled crime that has deeply wounded the country like the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.

Urging that it was "time to fight against religious hegemony" in order to protect the country's democracy and secularism, Vijayan said the CBI and the central government have the responsibility to take necessary legal action to punish the perpetrators of the crime.

All the 32 accused in the Babri mosque demolition case, including BJP veterans Advani and MM Joshi, were on Wednesday acquitted by a special CBI court, which said there was no conclusive proof against them.

"The demolition of the Babri Masjid is not just a destruction of a mosque - it is an unparalleled crime that has deeply wounded the country like the assassination of Gandhi," Vijayan said.

The case relates to the razing of the disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992, which triggered riots for several months leaving nearly 2,000 people dead across the country.

"We have before us the perpetrators of the Rath yatra that preceded the demolition of the mosque, those who led the yatra, their aides, those who called for Karseva, the organisations that provided people and means to it. We also have people who asked who the court was, to stop them at that point. It is unfortunate that such criminals are not punished. They deserve the punishment for their attempts to destroy secularism in our country," Vijayan said.

He lashed out at the Sangh Parivar and said: "it was responsible for this heinous act which has inflicted the greatest blow on India's secularism."

The Left leader also hit out at the Congress and said the national party, along with its allies were also responsible for the events that led to the destruction of the Mosque, facilitating it and for creating favourable conditions.

"It was the Congress party which opened the doors of Babri Masjid for the Sangh Parivar. It was the Congress that gave permission for the laying of the foundation stone of the temple. As a natural consequence of all this, when the Sangh Parivar demolished the Babri Masjid, it was the Congress that allowed it and remained silent through inaction," Vijayan said.

He also pointed out that even the Supreme Courtin the final verdict on the land dispute of Ayodhya case on November 9 last year, had said the installation of Lord Ram's idol at the disputed site on December 22 1949, was part of a conspiracy.

"The apex court had said the demolition of Babri Masjid was an abuse of rule of law.In today's context, the time has come to fight religious hegemony.

It is indispensable to protect our democracy and secularism," Vijayan added.