Thursday, December 23 2004 18:07 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today (Dec 23, 2004) accused the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government of trying to exert pressure on CBI to reopen the Ayodhya demolition case against BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) President L K Advani.

However, he parried a question on his party MPs' demand for resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"The kind of letter that has been written, it is not to seek information (about the case) but to put pressure (on CBI)," Vajpayee told reporters in New Delhi when asked about a letter written from PMO to the Department of Personnel.

He said Advani has already been discharged in the case and this letter from a PMO official was not to get factual information but pressurise the investigating agency.

On the demand for Singh's resignation in the wake of the controversy generated by the said letter, he said, "This is their feeling."

To a question about his opinion on the demand for Prime Minister's resignation, Vajpayee said, "Leave my opinion. In a democracy, the will of the majority rules."

Asked about his adopting a pro-active role in proceedings of Parliament, the former Prime Minister said people would welcome it but rued that most of the members chose to keep away and desirable amount of business could not be transacted in the Winter Session.