By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: A day after the Supreme Court issued a notice to BJP veteran leader LK Advani and 19 others over Babri Mosque demolition, stakeholders in the case and opposition parties have welcomed the Supreme Court move even as BJP came up with a cautious reaction saying the matter is in the court.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday had issued notice to BJP leaders L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi and 17 others on a petition challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict discharging them of criminal conspiracy in connection with the Babri Masjid demolition on December 6, 1992.
(Courtesy: evartha.in/)
Apart from Advani and Joshi, notices were issued among others to Union Ministers Uma Bharti and Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh – who was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1992.
Haji Mahboob Ahmed who had filed the appeal before Supreme Court in the case thanked the SC for issuing notice and said, “It is a welcome step by the SC. Now we can expect that the CBI will act responsibly and truth will come out”.
Welcoming the Supreme Court order, Zafaryab Jilani, Babri Masjid Action Committee’s Advocate said, “CBI’s attitude changes with the change of government in the Centre. Now the CBI is acting under BJP leader Rajnath Singh
(the Home Minister). It is good that the Supreme Court issued a notice on Ahmed’s appeal”.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury told ANI, “We have been saying this for years. When it comes to justice, there are lots of shortcomings in our country. It is a charge sheet by a special designated court. Now, the Supreme Court has done the right thing, even if it has delayed.”
“There should be a proper investigation and they (the government) should finally tell people who the culprit is. There even were Liberhan Commission findings; everyone knows who is behind it (Babri demolition). Now, the government should take note of this Supreme Court order,” he added.
Congress leaders PC Chacko and PL Punia said it was a welcome decision and added that CBI could not file a charge sheet in the case.
Alleging that CBI was protecting main accused in the case, Rihai Manch, a social organisation based in Uttar Pradesh, has said on Wednesday, “On whose directions did the CBI give clean chit to these leaders in the Babri case? Now it is compelled by Supreme Court after issuing notice to the people who were involved in conspiracy to demolish the Babri mosque”.
“This BJP government now wishes to establish memorial for Narsimha Rao, who was the Prime Minister during demolition of Babri mosque. Memorial for such a person will be an attack over the secularism of the country and many Muslims would be hurt due to his memorial,” said Rajiv Yadav of Rihai Manch.
Khalid Rasheed Firangi, a Muslim cleric and a member of Muslim Personal Law Board too welcomed the SC’s notice saying that the decision should soon be taken in the case and culprits must be brought to the justice.
However, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra reacted cautiously on the issuance of notice to its leaders and said that law will take its course over the matter.
Related:
Babri demolition case: SC notice to Advani, Joshi