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Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leaders L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi reacted to the court acquitting them in the Babri Masjid demolition case.
Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader LK Advani, who was acquitted by a special Central Bureua of Investigation court on Wednesday in the Babri mosque demolition case, welcomed the court verdict by chanting 'Jai Shri Ram', and said it vindicates his personal and BJP's belief and commitment towards the 'Ram Janmabhoomi Movement'.
Advani, who was the face of the Ram Janambhoomi Movement in 1992, was acquitted along with all other 31 accused in the case.
"It is a very important decision and a matter of happiness for us. When we heard the news of the court's order, we welcomed it by chanting Jai Shri Ram,” Advani said in a video message.
Later in a statement, he said, "the judgement vindicates my personal and the Bharatiya Janata Party's belief and commitment towards the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
"I also feel blessed that this judgement has come in the footsteps of another landmark verdict of the Supreme Court given in November 2019,which paved the way for my long cherished dream of seeing a grand Shri Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, the foundation laying ceremony of which was held on 5th August, 2020."
After the court verdict, the 92-year-old BJP leader came out and greeted the media, gathered outside his house in New Delhi, by chanting the slogan of “Jai Shri Ram”.
He was seen watching the news in his residence while sitting with his family members and his daughter Pratibha Advani, who was holding his hands.
The case relates to the razing of the disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.
"I am grateful to my party workers, leaders, saints and all those, who through their selfless involvement and sacrifices gave me strength and support during the Ayodhya Movement," Advani said.
It was his 'Rath Yatra' in 1990 in favour of building a temple at the disputed site, where believers hold that Lord Ram was born, that brought the issue to the center stage of national politics and help the BJP emerge as an alternative to the Congress.
The BJP veteran said now he along with millions of countrymen look forward to the completion of the beautiful Shri Ram Mandir at Ayodhya.
Former Union minister and BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi termed “historic” a special CBI court verdict in the Babri masjid demolition case.
“I will say only one thing 'Jai Jai Shri Ram, Sab ko sanmatti de bhagwan (May Lord, bestow wisdom on all),” he said, expressing happiness over the judgment.
“The court had delivered a historic verdict,” Joshi told reporters here in his first reaction to the verdict in the 28-year-old case.
He thanked the lawyers who appeared for him in the matter and said they presented all the aspects and facts before the court.
"The CBI's arguments could not withstand the ones presented by our lawyers because of their hard work and preparations in this complex case. And the judge has brought out the truth before everybody,” he said.
Joshi was the BJP president during the period when thousands of karsevaks gathered in Ayodhya as part of the campaign for building a Ram temple, and the mosque was brought down.
“The verdict has proven that our programmes were not under any conspiracy,” the 86-year-old said Wednesday.
He said, “I feel this controversy should come to end with the verdict. The entire country should be ready for the construction of a grand Ram temple. I will say only one thing ‘Jai Jai Shri Ram, Sab ko sanmatti de bhagwan," he said.
A contemporary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani, Joshi was one of the key faces of the party in 80s and 90s.
He has been a member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh several times and was considered close to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.