Advani's resignation sought

Advani's resignation sought

INDIA: India's opposition staged a noisy walkout of parliament on Tuesday demanding the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani and another minister for their alleged role in the 1992 demolition of a mosque by Hindu zealots.

The uproar came after the country's top investigatory agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), sought court permission to prosecute Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, the human resource development minister, over the case.

Advani and other members of the now ruling right-wing BJP party had campaigned to build a temple in the northern town of Ayodhya on what they say was the birthplace of the god Ram.

Hindus claim Muslim emperor Babur had destroyed a Ram temple at the site in the 16th century and built over it the Babri mosque.

The mosque was razed by thousands of Hindu fundamentalists Dec. 6, 1992, sparking nationwide riots that left 2,000 people dead. The dispute also played a factor in riots last year in the western state of Gujarat, where another 2,000 died. --AFP