New Delhi: An irate Opposition in Parliament on February 25 sought resignations of Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and Human resource Development Minister M M Joshi, saying their continuance in office would hamper impartial trial in Babri Masjid demolition case, but the government firmly rejected their demand.

"The government does not interfere in these matters at all. The government has not done so in the past. The government does not intend to do so," Law and Justice Minister Arun Jaitley told the Lok Sabha.

"This government, headed by Atal Behari Vajpayee, took over in 1998 and then again in 1999 and in the process of continuation of any criminal case against any person, be it a member of the government or otherwise, it has never interfered in that matter," Jaitley asserted.

Reminding members that a motion – exactly on this question on the round that a charge had been framed – under rule 184 had been debated and voted down in this House one-and-a-half-year ago, Jaitley said, "nothing has happened now. No circumstances have changed".

"As far as government is concerned, its policy is that if a criminal prosecution is pending, there are rights of the prosecution to prove their case, which are involved and there are rights of the accused that are involved," he said.

"Therefore, the question of non-continuation of Ministers or otherwise has been rejected by the government," Jaitley said.

The walk out came in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha after Jaitley responded on the issue.

PTI