M A I N   N E W S

Verdict unfortunate, says Joshi

Allahabad, September 21
In his first public comments after resigning from the Union Cabinet, Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi today termed as “unfortunate” the Rae Bareli Special Court’s decision to frame charges against him in the Babri mosque demolition case and dismissed as “baseless” allegations about his involvement in the incident.

Making his first visit to his parliamentary constituency here after putting in his papers, Mr Joshi also expressed his resolve to take the Ayodhya issue to the people and fight the case to its logical conclusion in the court.

“The allegation levelled against me in the Ayodhya demolition case is baseless and unfortunate,” Joshi said addressing a state level Dalit meeting.

The senior BJP leader said he would not only take the Ayodhya issue to the people but also take the legal battle in this regard to its conclusion.

On the Ayodhya issue, he said the sentiments of the majority population should not be ignored.

Recalling that it was a Dalit from Bihar who laid the first brick for the construction of the Ram temple in 1992, he declared that another person from the community would lay the foundation of the grand temple whenever its construction begins.

Earlier, on arrival at Allahabad railway station, Joshi was accorded a rousing reception by a large number of party workers.

Joshi had said yesterday that he would await Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s return from abroad before deciding his next course of action.

Dr Joshi later made a scathing attack on former state Chief Minister Mayawati charging her with trying to escape from her “misdeeds” by attacking “Manuvad”.

“I am not sure whether she understands “Manuvad” by loosely interpreting and applying it on her political opponents, law and judicial verdicts against her,” Joshi said addressing a state-level Dalit conference here. — PTI

No govt role in Ayodhya case: Mulayam

New Delhi, September 21
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav said today that he did not foresee a role for his government in the Babri Masjid demolition case in which a Rae Bareli court had decided to frame charges against HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi and six others.

The case is with the CBI which is under the Centre, he told reporters after calling on ailing BSP supremo Kanshi Ram at the Batra hospital here.

If required the state government would do the needful, he said. — PTI