The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday said 'provocative speeches' by eight leaders, including L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, 'encouraged' kar sewaks to pull down the disputed structure at Ayodhya.
CBI counsel P K Chaubey told the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad high court that Bharti, at the demolition of each dome, kept reminding the kar sewaks through the public address system the BJP's promise to build the Ram temple for 'cheap political gain'.
The court is hearing revision petitions filed by Joshi, Bharti, Vinay Katiyar, Sadhvi Rithambara, Ashok Singhal and V H Dalmiya, against the order of a special court in Rae Bareli in the Ayodhya demolition case.
The special court, while discharging Advani from the case, had given the go ahead for the framing of charges against the seven. The petitioners are seeking the dropping of proceedings against them.
The CBI counsel quoted the statements of the witnesses -- Iqbal, Hashim Ansari, Munna, Mohd Shubrati, Mobinullah and a journalist, Renu Mittal -- to highlight that all the eight leaders were present at the Ram Katha Kunaj from 1000 IST to 1830 IST, watching the structure being pulled down on December 6, 1992.
After hearing the arguments, Justice Y R Tripathi fixed January 5 as the next date of hearing on the petitions. The judge also issued summoning orders against seven others, including former Union minister M M Joshi.