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New Delhi: Telugu Desam Party (TDP), an National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally, on July 23 joined the Opposition in Rajya Sabha in asking the government to come clean on "dropping" of conspiracy charge against Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and others in Babri Masjid demolition case causing embarrassment to government.

"The government owes it to the nation to come clean on the vexed issue," senior TDP member C Ramachandraiah said adding when substantial allegations were levelled against highly-placed politicians it became their duty to clear themselves.

Declaring that the process of law in the country was "very strong", he said nobody could escape the long arm of law even as Congress, Left parties and other Opposition groups saw in "dropping" of conspiracy charge a move to "sabotage" prosecution in the Babri Masjid case.

The House took up the issue under short duration discussion after Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekawat rejected an Opposition motion to discuss the issue under rule 170, which entails voting.

Initiating the discussion, Congress member Hansraj Bhardawaj charged Law Minister Arun Jaitley with seeking to mislead the House by citing various sections under which the Deputy Prime Minister and seven others were sought to be charged.

Calling for insulating investigating agencies like Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against political interference, Bhardawaj, a former Law Minister, said there was no confusion about conspiracy charge in the case as the central agency had consolidated all the charges.

PTI