Congress behind Ayodhya petitioner: BJP

LUCKNOW - The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Uttar Pradesh unit chief Surya Pratap Shahi Friday alleged that the Congress was behind retired bureaucrat Ramesh Chandra Tripathi, on whose petition the Supreme Court had stayed pronouncement of the much-awaited Ayodhya verdict.

“We are of the view that Congress is supporting Ramesh Chandra Triptahi as the party wants the judgment to get delayed,” Shahi told reporters at a press conference, but declined to answer how the Congress party would benefit from the delay in the Ayodhya verdict.

He alleged that Tripathi’s activities pertaining to the petition for the deferment of the Ayodhya verdict increased after the recent visit of Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh.

“A few days back Digvijay Singh visited the state capital and met several people. It must be known to the public whom he (Singh) met,” said Shahi, indicating that Singh met Triptahi in Lucknow.

The Supreme Court Thursday deferred till Sep 28 its ruling on the pronouncement of the Ayodhya verdict by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court.

The apex court also issued notices to all the parties to the title suit and asked Attorney General Goolam Vahanvati to be present in the court when the case is heard five days later.

The ruling followed a petition by Tripathi seeking postponement of the high court verdict at least until the end of the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games. It also sought the apex court’s direction to the parties to explore possibilities of an out of court amicable settlement.