An Indian court Wednesday acquitted top ruling party leaders of conspiracyrelated to the mob demolition of a flashpoint mosque decades ago thatsparked communal riots which left more than 2,000 dead.
Tens of thousands of supporters of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya JanataParty (BJP) and other Hindu groups, armed with pick-axes and spades, toredown the 16th century Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in 1992 to pave the way for atemple.
Hindus say the small patch of land where it stood is the birthplace oftheir revered god Ram, and the site has become a symbol of India’sHindu-Muslim divide.
The mob was allegedly led by top BJP leaders, including India’s formerdeputy prime minister Lal Krishna Advani and former party president MurliManohar Joshi.
They were later accused of conspiring to destroy the mosque, with more than30 BJP leaders facing charges of criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity andinciting the mob.
But a special court sitting in the northern city of Lucknow said Wednesdaythe prosecution had failed to prove their guilt.
“Anti-social elements brought down the structure. The accused leaders triedto stop these people,” the judge said as he announced the verdict.
“The audio of the speeches were also not clear. All accused are acquitted.”
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Devout Hindus believe Lord Ram, the warrior god, was born in Ayodhya some7,000 years ago but that the mosque — built during the time of Mughalruler Babar — was constructed on top of his birthplace.
In the late 1980s, the BJP — currently led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi– launched a nationwide campaign to garner support for the construction ofa temple for Lord Ram.
Advani, now 92, led tens of thousands of supporters on a months-long roadrally across the country before the mob targeted the mosque.
The razing of the religious structure sparked India’s worst sectarian riotsand a protracted court case over the site.
Last year the Supreme Court awarded the land to a trust, clearing the wayfor the construction of a temple — a key victory for Modi and BJPsupporters. -APP/AFP
