Ahmedabad, July 20: Alleging that the CBI functions and operates as political strings, Lok Janshakti Party president Ram Vilas Paswan today demanded the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani who, he said, was chargesheeted by the agency in the Babri Masjid demolition case but whose name was later dropped from certain charges. The manner in which the CBI has handled the two crucial cases of Ram Temple and murder of former Gujarat minister Haren Pandya indicated that "it is all a drama and the agency is towing the government's line", he told reporters here.

Paswan said, "The main accused in the Ayodhya case (L K Advani) was given a clean chit in spite of all witnesses naming him and this clearly indicates that CBI also functions and operates as political strings." To a query on the Ram temple issue, he said, "We will ask them (NDA) as to why they have not managed to construct a temple after five years of governance."

Paswan said his party was only in favour of the Supreme Court's verdict on the controversial issue, adding that all parties concerned should also abide by the court's verdict.

Paswan also sought "re-opening of the Best Bakery case" in which a fast-track court in Vadodara acquited all those who were accused of burning alive 14 persons during the post-Godhra communal riots. "The case should be tried outside Gujarat as riot victims are living in fear", he added.

Bureau Report