Cong wants Uma Bharti's ouster, BJP rejects demand

The Congress has sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as it demanded the resignation of union minister Uma Bharti, one of the chargesheeted BJP leaders in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

"We sincerely hope that the trial will now begin, law will finally take its own course and justice will be done. Those who are guilty must be punished in accordance with the law of the land without any fear or favour," said Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, after a CBI court framed charges against BJP Leaders LK Advani, Uma Bharti, Murli Manohar Joshi and others.

He said after the Supreme Court ordered that hearing of the case shall be held on day-to-day basis in 2011, 185 adjournments have taken place in the case since 2013. He said it was time for the law of the land to deliver justice expeditiously and punish the guilty.

"One of the accused, Ms Uma Bharti is a Union Cabinet Minister. Having been charge-sheeted, she must resign. Prime Minister must come forward and uphold the rule of law and the Constitution," he said.

However, Union Minister M Venkaiah on Tuesday defended the chargesheeted BJP leaders, saying they will come out clean.

"Our leaders are innocent. They will come out unscathed," Naidu, told media persons, adding that the NDA government did not try to withdraw the case against the top BJP leaders.

On her part, Bharti reaffirmed her position that there was no conspiracy. "It was an open movement like it happened during Emergency...I don't consider myself a criminal," she told reporters in Lucknow.

Though the BJP has refrained from coming out with a formal reaction on the developments in the case, party spokesperson Sambit Patra rejected the Congress demand for Bharti's resignation. "Uma Bharti shouldn't resign because nothing has changed since the FIR was filed," he said.

Last month after the apex court restored criminal conspiracy charges against the BJP leaders, union minister Arun Jaitley has ruled out Bharti's resignation saying there was no change in the situation.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath met Advani after he reached Lucknow. Adityanath greeted Advani with flowers at a guest house, before he appeared before the court.