Everyone was in dark about Babri demolition, says Uma

Nilesh Bhagat

Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh), May 4 (PTI) After former
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kalyan Singh's claim that he was
kept in the dark about the Babri masjid demolition, another
temple movement leader Uma Bharti Monday said that "everyone"
was in the dark about the demolition.
"...In fact, everyone was in the dark about the
demolition except those who did it. We still don't know who
did it," she told PTI at Atrauli near here.

When asked about Kalyan's claim that he in particular
was kept in dark, Uma said she was not aware of it.

"I don't know anything about it. Advani ji and (H V)
Sheshadri ji (of RSS) have also said this (that they were not
aware that the mosque will be demolished)," she added.

The Bharatiya Jan Shakti leader claimed that people
who demolished the mosque are yet to be identified.

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh on
Saturday had claimed that he was misled by two BJP leaders and
was not told that the demolition of the Babri Masjid on
December 6, 1992 had been planned well in advance.

It was on the assurance of the two BJP leaders, whom
he did not name, that he gave an affidavit in the Supreme
Court promising to ensure the security of the 16th century
Mughal period monument, Singh said.

He said he was given to understand that a symbolic
"kar seva" would be performed for the construction of a Ram
temple at Ayodhya.

When asked about the two BJP leaders Kalyan was
referring to, Uma said: "I am not aware."

Sabha election should not be considered a step forward in
rejoining the party which she had left a few years ago.

Meanwhile, addressing an election rally at Atrauli,
the pocket borough of Kalyan Singh, Uma said out of the
several prime ministerial candidates in race, BJP leader L K
Advani was the only one who was a "rashtra bhakta and Ram
bhakta...he outshines others like a diamond".

"I told Advani that my party will only support the BJP
in elections but will not merge with his party. Money is
required to contest elections. As we have no money to contest,
we decided to extend support to BJP as we share the same
ideology," she told the gathering consisting mainly of
Lodh-Rajpoot voters.

Uma also represents the same community.

While the former BJP firebrand leader attacked Mulayam
Singh Yadav during her speech, she made no mention of Kalyan
Singh.

She also attacked Bollywood actor and SP leader Sanjay
Dutt.

"I was shocked when Sanjay Dutt claimed that he was
tortured by police as his mother was a Muslim. He...can say
anything. But a person like Mulayam Singh should have ensured
that no such thing is said which will further the communal
divide in the country," she said. PTI NAB
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