NEW DELHI: Questioning the timing of a ‘sting’ operation on the Babri Masjid demolition, the BJP today alleged that it was “sponsored”, accusing Congress of using “pawns” to vitiate the atmosphere before elections and asked the Election Commission to stop its publication and telecast.
Writing to the Election Commission shortly before Cobrapost was to hold a press conference here, BJP sought a bar on its contents being made public.
BJP spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said reports had appeared in papers today about a sting operation related to the sensitive Babri masjid-Ram Janambhoomi dispute.
Through this “sponsored sting operation”, there is an attempt to inject poison in the peaceful and amicable election atmosphere in the country, he said.
“We had in the morning spoken to Election Commission and also written a letter that an NGO named Cobrapost in the name of a sting operation is planning to show a sponsored sting on the sensitive Ram Janambhoomi-Babri masjid issue….Its telecast and publication should be immediately barred,” he added.
He said the party had asked the EC to take action “against whoever is behind such a mischievous conspiracy.”
Accusing the Congress of propagating communalism, Naqvi said that the party has lost the battle on ground and was now trying to use pawns to spoil the atmosphere ahead of election.
When asked to comment about the content of the sting operation, Naqvi said its timing raises questions.
“The timing is more important than content and raises questions as the election is at its peak and the atmosphere is friendly and peaceful. The election is being contested on the issue of Congress’ misgovernance. The people have rejected the secular versus communal plank on which Congress contests and real issues are being raised. Naturally those who contested on non-issues are upset,” he said. Senior BJP leader, when asked about the sting operation said that she had already given a statement to the Liberhan Commission on the matter. She however raised questions about its timing.
The leader claimed that around the time of Bihar elections, RJD chief Lalu Prasad had suddenly tabled the Banerjee report keeping the polls in mind.
“I have not seen it (sting operation), but if it is something like that, I consider Congress to be completely responsible for it,” she said.
RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav also questioned the sting operation and said that old issues which had been investigated earlier were being raised again before the elections.
“This whole drama is a deliberate attempt to vitiate the existing peaceful atmosphere in the country and an attempt to polarize on communal lines,” he said, adding, the allegations made were all very “old” and after investigations the Liberhan Commission had concluded that they were baseless.
“At a time when the country is going for a major election, seems to be a big conspiracy and my view is that this false allegation should not be given importance in the media or by the public,” Madhav said.–PTI
