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Ayodhya case: Congress, Samajwadi Party condemn Mayawati's decision

The Congress party and the Samajwadi party on Wednesday strongly condemned Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's decision not to proceed against Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani and others in the Babri masjid demolition case.

Besides Advani, Union Human Resources Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, Coal and Mines Minister Uma Bharti, and about 20 leaders of the BJP, Shiv Sena, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal have also been named in the case.

Describing the decision as amounting to "disrespect to the Supreme Court and a deliberate subversion of the process of law," Congress spokesman Anand Sharma alleged that it was the result of a prior understanding between the Bharatiya Janata Party and Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party at the time of forming their alliance.

Sharma pointed out that Mayawati had demanded just the opposite when she was out of power.

The Congress spokesman said Mayawati's decision was in "gross violation of constitutional responsibility and a crude attempt to curry favour with persons in authority."

The state government was compromising the principle of natural justice for political expediency, he said pointing out that the case had been set aside only on technical grounds, which could be easily rectified.

The refusal to correct the same and facilitate prosecution of the accused was a 'negation' of the very concept of the rule of law.

"Instead of putting leaders like Advani behind bars for the demolition of the Babri masjid, she [Mayawati] is sharing the dais with him at the BSP's September 28 rally," former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav told rediff.com.

The BSP's Muslim legislators must draw their own conclusions from this decision, he added.

Kul Hind Qaumi Mushawarat Council spokesman Etesham Sufi told rediff.com that Mayawati's decision was unfortunate.

He alleged that the BJP had extended support to Mayawati for government formation in UP only on the condition that she would not issue a fresh notification in the Babri masjid demolition case.

The Ayodhya Issue: Complete Coverage

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