New Delhi, July 11: Congress today demanded that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee should be summoned before the Liberhan Commission to reply to charges levelled against him by the then UP Chief Minister Kalyan Singh that he was privy to the "conspiracy" over the demolition of Babri Masjid. "Congress party is of the view that Vajpayee should be summoned before the commission for his deposition...There is imperative need for prime minister to appear before the commission and reply the charges levelled against him by Singh that he was privy to Babri Masjid demolition," party spokesman S Jaipal Reddy told reporters.
Earlier, Reddy said such an occasion for the Prime Minister to appear before the commission did not occur as "there was no material for such an issue. But now the then BJP chief minister in the state Kalyan Singh has gone on record saying that Vajpayee was privy to the conspiracy of Babri Masjid demolition. "Therefore, there is an imperative need for the Prime Minister to appear before the commission and reply the charges," he said.
The party, he said, was of the view that Prime Minister's deposition before the commission would not downgrade his position but would enhance the value of democracy. It would also strengthen the rule of law that all the people of the country were equal before the law. The Centre yesterday "vehemently" opposed the application seeking summoning of Prime Minister before the Liberhan Commission inquiring the demolition of disputed structure in Ayodhya in 1992. Bureau Report