The Centre's counsel Lala Ram Gupta on Wednesday strongly denied he was pleading the Bharatiya Janata Party's case before the Liberhan Commission probing the demolition of the disputed structure in Ayodhya.
He said his recent meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani had nothing to do with the proceedings of the Commission.
"I am not taking instruction from any political party. Nor am I pleading for any party," he told NDTV.
Gupta, a senior counsel, described his recent meeting with Advani as a 'personal' one, which had 'nothing to do with the Liberhan Commission'.
Asked if the hardline groups within the Sangh Parivar were getting upset with the proceedings before the Commission and whether there was a move to give a clean chit to former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh, he shot back saying, "I am under no pressure."
"I am a senior counsel who is doing his job to argue the case as the record speaks and the law speaks," Gupta said.
He also denied changing his line and contradicting himself.
He maintained that till twelve noon on December six, 1992, there were no reports with the Centre or the UP government that the structure was under threat and the circumstances warranted imposition of President's rule.
The situation changed thereafter, he said, adding that both the Centre and the state government did not have any contingency plans.
PTI