Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee on Tuesday rejected HRD Minister M.M. Joshi's resignation. His decision came after the Allahabad High Court stayed the framing of charges against Joshi by a special court in the Babri Masjid demolition case.
The HRD minister had resigned 11 days ago when a Rae Bareli court decided to frame charges against him. After Joshi informed Vajpayee about the high court's decision, the Prime Minister congratulated him and told him his resignation had been rejected. Joshi said he accepted the Prime Minister's decision with "humility". He said he had resigned to honour the special court’s ruling, though he did not consider himself guilty.
Joshi had filed a criminal revision petition in the high court on Monday, challenging the special court's order. He sought a stay on the proceedings, claiming that his case was "at par" with that of Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, whom the Rae Bareli court had discharged. Justice Y.R. Tripathi of the high court's Lucknow bench, who heard Joshi's appeal, called for the case diary and other relevant court records against Joshi. The next hearing is scheduled for November 4.
Joshi's counsel Mridul Rakesh said in Lucknow that though the court did not use the word “stay” in its order, the fact that it had in effect stayed the framing of charges against Joshi meant that proceedings in the special court would remain stalled till disposal of the revision petition. Soon after the order was passed, Joshi said: "I believe and agree with the view that the demolition case is politically motivated and does not involve issues of criminal and moral turpitude."
{{/usCountry}}Joshi's counsel Mridul Rakesh said in Lucknow that though the court did not use the word “stay” in its order, the fact that it had in effect stayed the framing of charges against Joshi meant that proceedings in the special court would remain stalled till disposal of the revision petition. Soon after the order was passed, Joshi said: "I believe and agree with the view that the demolition case is politically motivated and does not involve issues of criminal and moral turpitude."
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