LK Advani, 92 and MM Joshi, 86, have reportedly sought an exemption. (File)
New Delhi:
The verdict in the 28-year-old case involving the demolition of Babri Masjid, which stood at the Ram Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya, will be pronounced today by a special court in Lucknow. The 1992 demolition — preceded by a series of rath yatras by the BJP’s LK Advani — had cost around 3,000 lives and changed the country’s political landscape. The accused in the case includes senior leaders of the ruling BJP – the party’s founder-members Mr Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, former ministers Uma Bharti and Kalyan Singh. But none of the four high-profile accused will be present in court. Mr Advani, 92, and Mr Joshi, 86, are exempted from attending on health grounds. Uma Bharti has contracted coronavirus and Kalyan Singh is recuperating from it.
Here are the top 10 points in the story:
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LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti and Kalyan Singh – who are among the 32 surviving accused in the case — are facing charges of criminal conspiracy and promoting enmity. The court, which has asked all the accused to be present, has to decide whether they and the others conspired and instigated thousands of activists to bring down the mosque on December 6, 1992.
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Mr Advani, Mr Joshi and Uma Bharti were allegedly on the dais near the mosque at the time of the demolition on December 6, 1992. The investigating agencies said they instigated the crowd with their speeches.
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Senior BJP leader Kalyan Singh was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh at the time of the demolition. His government was dismissed as riots broke out across the country, in which around 3,000 people died.
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Former Union minister Uma Bharti, who is admitted in a hospital in Uttarakhand after contracting COVID-19, has written to BJP chief JP Nadda, saying she will not seek bail if she is convicted in the case.
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Mr Advani had recorded his statement before the special CBI court through video conference on July 24. He was asked 100 questions by the special judge. Mr Joshi recorded his statement a day before Mr Advani. Both have denied all charges against them.
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Over the last 28 years, the case has taken a tortuous route. From the initial two cases filed in 1992, the number of cases expanded to 49. The second case, FIR no 198, had named Mr Advani, Mr Joshi and Uma Bharti, accusing them of promoting religious enmity and provocation to riot.
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In 1993, the Central Bureau of Investigation filed a single, consolidated chargesheet against 48 people, among whom Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and Kalyan Singh were also included.
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The cases against Mr Advani, Mr Joshi and Uma Bharti moved from Lalitpur to Rae Bareli to Lucknow. The last shift took place after an order by the Supreme Court, which also asked that the criminal conspiracy charges – dropped by the CBI and negated by the Allahabad High Court – be restored against them.
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In April 2017, the Supreme Court had asked the special court in Lucknow to complete the trial within two years with daily hearings. Later, it was given several extensions and when special judge SK Yadav asked for more time, the court extended the deadline to September 30.
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The 15th Century mosque was said to have been built by Mughal emperor Babar after pulling down an ancient temple that marked the birthplace of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. In a landmark verdict in November, the Supreme Court ordered the construction of a temple at the site. The groundbreaking ceremony took place earlier this year in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated.
