Advani 'euphoric' on Dec 6, 1992, says eyewitness cop

Police officer Anju Gupta, an eyewitness on December 6,u00a0testified before a court in Rae Bareli on Friday

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L K Advani "looked euphoric" when he declared in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992, shortly before the demolition of the Babri Masjid, that a Ram temple would be built on the site, police officer Anju Gupta testified before a court on Friday.

Gupta, who was then posted as assistant superintendent of police (ASP) in the temple town, was deposing before a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in this town, about 85 km from the state capital Lucknow.

The senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer did not mince words while describing the excitement in the top brass of the BJP on the day the Babri Masjid was demolished by violent radical Hindu activists.

"Advani not only looked euphoric but also declared before the huge crowds at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992 that the Ram temple would be built at the disputed site in the temple town," she said.

Advani, Gupta said, "gave quite a provocative speech for which he was applauded by his other party colleagues and the crowds.

"There were at least 100 persons present on the dais along with Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Vinay Katiyar, Uma Bharti, Sadhvi Rithambara, Ashok Singhal, S C Dikshit, and I remember their faces so distinctly that I would be able to still recognise at least 80 of them.

"There was so much excitement among the crowds that they distributed sweets after the mosque was pulled down," she added while giving testimony on what she saw on the day.

A deputy inspector general of police (DIG) currently attached to the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), she arrived at the court premises around 11 am and was ushered in under heavy police escort.

The special CBI court had earlier discharged Advani on the plea that charges against him were based on mere suspicion. This followed dropping of the serious charge of criminal conspiracy under Section 120 B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) by CBI on the directives of the Allahabad High Court.