Unjust, unfair to blame me for Babri demolition: Rao
Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi
Former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao says it is ''unjust, unfair to apportion exclusive blame on me for the Babri mosque demolition''.
Rao's reaction came hours after Congress president Sitaram Kesri held the former prime minister morally responsible for the demolition and denied him a party ticket for the Lok Sabha poll.
Disclosing that he felt extremely distraught at hearing the news about the demolition, Rao expressed sadness at being denied a party ticket.
He, however, contended that it was not a terminal point in his political career.
Addressing the media at his Motilal Nehru Road home,
Rao said, ''Soon after the tragedy, senior Congress leader Arjun Singh brought a draft, expressing the Congress's regret over the demolition. Later, the draft was approved by the Union Cabinet. Therefore, it was not right that I should be singularly blamed since it was the collective responsibility.''
He said everybody had felt 'betrayed by the demolition' and that the Supreme Court had condemned it.
As far as the Congress leadership was concerned, Rao said, ''There was a lot of difference on what was said then (on the demolition), and what is being said now.''
Rao said he did not have any 'hopes'
when Kesri became the Congress chief. He also maintained that
he would have little credibility if he went about denying the
charges made against him in the context of the Babri mosque demolition.
Disclosing that he would ''apprise the people about the
facts in his own way'', he said it was for the media
to give all facets of the political scenario.
Rao's assertion that Kesri's decision was ''not a terminal point in my political career'' has made it apparent that the Rao-Kesri feud will flare up soon.
Significantly, the brahmin lobby in the Congress, comprising Pranab Mukherjee, Jitendra Prasada and others, had launched a campaign, seeking a ticket for Rao.
Another facet of the Rao-Kesri tiff is that other parties, chiefly Union Defence Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party, are likely to draw political mileage from it.
Kesri may realise soon that it will not be easy to realise his dream of wooing back the Muslims by blaming Rao for the demolition. For, the likes of Mulayam Singh will highlight the fight in the Congress and prevent the Muslim votes from going the party's way.
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