11 December 2000

FORMER UP GOVERNOR REFUTES RSS CHIEF'S DEMOLITION THEORY

From Jal Khambata

NEW DELHI: B Satyanarayana Reddy, who was the Governor of Uttar Pradesh at the time of the Babri Mosque demolition in 1992, has expressed surprise over Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief K G Sudarshan that the structure was brought down by some bomb hidden in the tomb.

Neither the Chief Secretary nor the Director General of Police nor the District Magistrate posted at the spot had brought to his notice any information at all about the alleged hidden bomb, Reddy said while pointing out that there was, therefore, no question of any mention of the bomb theory as claimed by Sudarshan in the confidential report on the demolition that he had dispatched to President Shankar Dayal Sharma and Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao on that crucial evening.

Reddy, who has now made Delhi his abode and lives in a government bungalow allotted to him by the Vajpayee Government, was approached for his comments on Sudarshan's claim. For record sake, he sought to recall his activities on December 6, 1992.

"At ten o'clock I went to address a World Peace Conference at Lucknow. However, I was in constant touch with Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao and Chief Minister Kalyan Singh. There was a minute-to-minute reporting by a district magistrate appointed by the Supreme Court on Ayodhya situation. The Supreme Court had given a symbolic permission to do kar-sewa. But two lakhs devotees thronged the small town and created a blockade.

"When I returned from the World Peace Conference I received a call from the magistrate that the structure was demolished and the tension prevailed at Ayodhya. I at once spoke to P V Narasimha Rao," Reddy said while wondering "what could have Prime Minister or President done as everyone was helpless." He said: "I would not have ventured to call Army. This was the suggestion from senior Congress leaders. ....

He said: "I do remember that there was a CID intelligence report that Lal Krishna Advani was seen standing and pleading with the devotees that they should disperse and that they should not create a law and order problem for the state government. I donot remember whether I had added this in my report to President... But I distinctly remember about the Police Officer briefing me..."

Reddy, who was the Governor of Uttar Pradesh for only six months, said: "After the demolition of Masjid, I visited the site after two months... District Administration did not permit me to visit the stie as it was a law and order problem."

Asked about the quick removal of debris in the disputed site and the sudden construction of the "Ramlala temple, Dr Reddy stated that he was also surprised at the cleaning operation done by the devotees.
"Of course when lakhs and lakhs of people assemble, the debris could be cleared in a matter of seconds.
That shows the dedication and devotion...."

Reddy, who has also been the Governor of Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal, also had a dig at the Congress which was in power in many states in 1992 as he said its governments could have prevented many of the devotees thronging at Ayodhya from the states like Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. END