Thursday, June 2 2005 19:39 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh today (Jun 2, 2005) claimed before the Liberhan Commission that it was never the intention of BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) to demolish the disputed structure at Ayodhya but a commitment was there to build a "grand" Ram Temple by relocating the medieval structure.

Conceding that the State Government, during his tenure as Chief Minister, failed to win the confidence of other parties involved in the dispute to superimpose the disputed structure at some other place, he denied the allegation that he actually translated the 1991 election manifesto of BJP that promised the demolition.

"The word demolition did not occur anywhere in the 1991 manifesto. It speaks of building a grand Ram Temple by relocating the disputed structure at some other place by super imposing it," Singh told the Commission during his cross examination by senior advocate O P Sharma, appearing for Aslam Bhure.

Bhure had approached the Supreme Court against the Kar Seva of December 6, 1992 the day the disputed structure was demolished at Ayodhya.

Senior advocate Yousuf H Muchhala cross-examined Singh on behalf of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) during which he said his "conscience was at peace" and he was committed to the safety, security and protection of the disputed structure.

The senior BJP leader was replying to Muchhala's question that how his conscience could been at peace when he had described the disputed structure built by Mughal Emperor Babar as a "monument of slavery".

When confronted by AIMPLB counsel that in a letter dated December 3, 1992 addressed to the then Home Minister S B Chavan that the communal situation was not satisfactory and some mazars and properties belonging to the minority community were damaged, Singh said social harmony was intact till December 6, 1992.

He denied the suggestion put by Muchhala that situation in Ayodhya right upto the noon of December 6 was not normal and communal situation was vitiated due to large-scale violence against the Muslim.

"I had no knowledge or any information of any such incidence you are referring," Singh replied to the counsel's question about the violence and destruction of property belonging to the minority community in Ayodhya between December 1 to 6, 1992.