Lucknow, Nov 17: Under attack over its stand in the Supreme Court in the Babri Masjid demolition case, the Mulayam Singh Yadav government today claimed that one of its advocates had exceeded his brief and declared that it will file a fresh affidavit to "clear misunderstanding" on the issue. The government said advocate on record R C Verma has been removed from the government panel of advocates on grounds that he exceeded the brief.

The word 'wrong' used to deny any conspiracy by a political party or community behind the demolition, which finds mention in the affidavit filed recently in the Supreme Court, was not there in the original brief and was used by Verma, Chief Secretary A P Singh told reporters here.

He maintained that there was no change in the government's stand in the Ayodhya case. The government has decided to file a supplementary affidavit in the Supreme Court tomorrow to clear any misunderstanding that might have been created, Singh said.

He said the word wrong justified a value judgement and a government could not give judgement on any proceedings of court.

The government, in its affidavit filed recently on a writ petition filed by one Wajahat Ansari, had said "....The contention of the writ petition are admitted only to the extent that the Babri Masjid was destroyed on December 6, 1992. The contention of the petitioner that the afforesaid act was done under a criminal conspiracy by any specific community or political party is wrong and denied."

Bureau Report