What BJP says on the Ayodhya report

Refuting Congress allegation that Bharatiya Janata Party leaders named in the Babri mosque demolition had not co-operated with the Liberhan Commission, BJP on Tuesday accused it of starting a 'conspiracy' and challenged it to fulfil its promise of building a mosque at the disputed site.

"This is utterly irresponsible and we condemn it outright...This indicates that Congress has begun its conspiracy even before the report has been tabled in Parliament," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told media persons while reacting to Congress' allegation.

Prasad condemned Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh's allegation of double-speak by BJP as LK Advani had shed tears over the demolition while some sections in the party felt a sense of pride over it.

"The then Prime Minister (and Congress leader) P V Narasimha Rao had promised to build a mosque at the disputed site. If Digvijay Singh is so hurt and has the courage, he should build a mosque there," he said.

He said BJP was committed to building a grand Ram temple at Ayodhya. "There was a widespread public sentiment that construction of a grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya is the solution to the whole issue and BJP believes that a grand Ram Temple should be built at Ayodhya," he said.

Prasad said all senior party leaders had made 'serious attempts to cooperate with the Commission'.

BJP veterans L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, along with former BJP leaders Uma Bharti and Kalyan Singh, are among those accused in the case.

"All prominent BJP leaders summoned by the Commission deposed before it. As the Deputy Prime Minister, L K Advani, had also appeared before the Commission for several rounds of cross-examination over a period of more than a week," Prasad said.

Asked if BJP felt contents of the report should be made public at the earliest to bring out the truth, Prasad said, "It is for the government to decide whether to table it in Parliament or go for any other (form of) public debate."

He refused to comment on the report stating his party would give a "proper, structured response" once the contents of the report were made public.