'Cong could have prevented Babri Masjid demolition'

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has said the demolition of Babri Masjid could have been prevented, but it could not be done because of inaction of his party's government.

He said although he didn't know the inside story, but he did later find out that the then prime minister P V Narasimha Rao was taken in by the sworn affidavits of the VHP in the Supreme Court, saying that they have not demolished the Masjid.

"The fact remains that our inaction, and I personally feel guilty for it. The Congress party could have prevented the demolition of the Babri Masjid had it taken preventive steps and allowed the army and central forces to protect the place," Singh said.

Singh, who said he was in Bhopal at the time of the incident, was speaking on the sidelines of the launch of "Ascetic Games: Sadhus, Akharas and the Making of the Hindu Vote" here on Monday.

On December 6, 1992, the 16th century Babri Masjid in Ayodhya was demolished by right-wing groups.

He also cleared the air on why Arjun Singh, a powerful minister in Rao's cabinet, did not resign soon after the tragedy.

"I did speak to Arjun Singh... He wanted to resign on the next day of the demolition, but in the afternoon he possibly thought that he should stand by the prime minister," he said.