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New Delhi: Alleging that the recent Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) report on the excavations in Ayodhya is "unprofessional and fraudulent", a group of eminent Left historians and intellectuals on August 29 claimed that there was a mosque prior to Babri Masjid at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

Given the findings of the ASI, which has found "surkhi" and lime-mortar bonded floor, "we can say that it is obviously the floor of an earlier mosque", noted scholar Irfan Habib told reporters. "One decisive piece of evidence, which entirely negates the possibility of a temple, is that of animal bones," he said.

"Bone fragments with cut marks are a sure sign of animals being eaten at the site, and therefore, rule out a temple existing at the site at that time," Habib said.

Claiming that ASI has only collected evidence keeping in mind the "temple theory", he alleged "the bias, partisanship and saffronised outlook of the ASI's report takes one's breath away".

"National honour was deeply compromised when the Babri Masjid was demolished. Now the good repute of the ASI has also suffered an irremediable blow," Habib claimed.

He alleged that the aim of the report "is to ignore and twist the evidence as to make it suit its conclusions tailored to support the fictions of the Sangh Parivar about the previous existence of a temple".

Suraj Bhan, Rajiv Dhawan and artist M K Raina were among others who were present at the press conference.

PTI