Did Vajpayee know masjid would be pulled down?

The Congress on Friday targeted former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the Babri masjid demolition issue.

It alleged that a CD recently presented to the Liberhan Commission 'established beyond doubt' that the former prime minister had 'full knowledge' of the Dec 6, 1992 incident.

"It is an equivalent of the smoking gun. It is direct, hard evidence and certainly it should be looked into at the highest levels with a sense of urgency," party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters in New Delhi.

Singhvi demanded a 'comprehensive inquiry' into the 'transparent, clear and obvious evidence' available on the CD.

He demanded an explanation from the top BJP leadership on Vajpayee's Dec 5, 1992 speech in which he had said, "I don't know what will happen there [at Ayodhya] tomorrow [Dec 6, 1992]."

• Ayodhya: Complete Coverage

Singhvi said the Central Bureau of Investigation, in its criminal revision petition, and also the courts hearing the Ayodhya matter should 'use this material and examine it in detail'.

"The BJP and its leadership - Vajpayee, L K Advani and others - owe an explanation to the nation to clear the air of injured innocence and ignorance," Singhvi said. He accused the BJP and its leadership of playing divisive politics.

Asked if the party wanted Vajpayee to appear before the commission, Singhvi said, "Yes, we want that the commission should seek a clarification".

Responding to the allegation, the BJP said it would be 'improper' to draw any inference from the CD. The statements were made in different contexts, it said.

"Vajpayee himself has said that he was not aware…You cannot isolate and draw any particular inference out of them," party general secretary and spokesman Yashwant Sinha told reporters.

Vajpayee has accepted that he had made the speech. He, however, said the tone of his address was in a lighter vein and not provocative and that he had no inkling that some people would pull down the structure.