New Delhi, June 02: in a stout defence of its leaders including Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani in the Babri Masjid demolition case, BJP today described the Ayodhya movement as a "political agitation" and said the filing of chargesheet against them by CBI only showed the NDA regime's commitment to the rule of law. "The very fact that the case is not being withdrawn shows this government's commitment to the rule of law," party President Venkaiah Naidu told reporters here when asked whether the continuation of the chargesheeted ministers would "influence" the CBI. The CBI had on May 31 filed supplementary chargesheet against Advani, his cabinet colleague Murli Manohar Joshi, VHP leader Ashok Singhal and five others in the Babri Masjid demolition case in a special court at Rae Bareilly. Asked why the party was adopting "double standards" in the Babri case vis-a-vis fodder scam case in which it had been demanding RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav's resignation, Naidu shot back "there is absolutely no comparison. This is not a case involving corruption or moral turpitude. It (Ayodhya movement) was a political agitation."

"Let the law takes its own course," he added.
Bureau Report