Advani, Joshi instigated karsevaks: CBI

Opening the arguments in the Ayodhya case, the Central Bureau of Investigation on Saturday quoted witnesses to claim in a special court in Rae Bareilly that Union ministers Lal Kishenchand Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Uma Bharti and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's Sadhvi Ritambhara and Ashok Singhal had delivered 'inflammatory speeches and instigated' karsevaks to demolish the Babri Masjid.

Of the 39 witnesses, CBI counsel S S Gandhi read out statements of 12 before Special Judge V K Singh.

Counsel for the defendants S S Ahluwalia interrupted Gandhi on a number of occasions and pleaded that there was no specific mention of what and when their clients gave the alleged speeches.

The CBI counsel said the agency would produce before the court audio and videocassettes and paper cuttings as evidence.

Quoting witnesses, he said the accused had raised provocative slogans like 'Ram Lala hum aye hain, mandir yahin banayenge (Lord Ram we have come to build the temple here)' on December 6, 1992, when the mosque was demolished.

The court, which granted exemption to all the accused from personal appearance on Saturday, fixed July 18 for further hearing.

Press Trust of India