'Vajpayee's indictment an attempt to shift focus from Advani'

A city-based advocate who was associated with Justice Manmohan Singh Liberhan Commission of inquiry for around eight years expressed surprise at the reported indictment of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee by the Commission for the Babri masjid demolition.

A city-based advocate who was associated with Justice Manmohan Singh Liberhan Commission of inquiry for around eight years on Monday expressed surprise at the reported indictment of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee by the Commission for the Babri masjid demolition.

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"Vajpayee's indictment is an attempt by Justice Liberhan to shift focus from the centre of responsibility, which was Advani," said Advocate Anupam Gupta, the counsel with Justice Liberhan between 1999 to 2007 who had questioned many Sangh parivar members, including present Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha L K Advani.

"I am surprised to see Vajpayee's name appearing in a newspaper in connection with demolition of Babri Masjid, attributing it to Liberhan Commission of inquiry findings," he said.

"Its an issue of concern (Vajpayee's indiction)," he said adding "there was no evidence against Vajpayee and the
Former Prime Minister was not summoned for questioning also by the Commission."

He said "I don't have the Liberhan Commission report with me nor I have read it...I only came to know about it from
a newspaper report."