Centre could not act during Babri incident without guv nod: Cong

Congress today sought to give a clean chit to former prime minister PV Narasimha Rao for any culpability in the demolition of Babri Masjid and squarely held the BJP and its sister organisations responsible for it.

"The matter was being monitored (by supreme court) and there were constitutional implications (for Centre's intervention)," party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan told reporters, adding, any action on part of the then Central government was not possible without the governor's report.

To a query about the culpability of the Centre and Rao, the spokesperson said 17 years had passed and he (Rao) was not longer there to answer what decision he took at that point of time. "There is an implication (constitutional) involved. These facts are well known," she said.

Charging the BJP for the demolition, she said it was the "saddest day of Indian history" and the BJP along with its sister organisations was responsible for those who were near the structure.

Asked why was clean chit given to Rao by the Liberhan Commission even as former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was named in the report, Natarajan said, "this question should be addressed to the Commission".

To a question whether the recommendations of the Commission will be handed over to the CBI for further action, she said, "whatever process of law has to be followed consequent to tabling of the report, will be followed".

Putting Vajpayee in the dock, she said that a day before the structure came down, he had made a speech that the place (the disputed structure) was filled with sharp stones and needs to be cleaned before a temple is constructed.