Uma Bharati: ‘prefer to hang than seek bail’ in Babri Masjid demolition case

Special CBI court verdict on Sept. 30

Former Union Minister and BJP Leader Uma Bharti. File

Former Union Minister Uma Bharati, one of the senior BJP leaders facing a

verdict on September 30 in the

Babri Masjid demolition case being heard in a special CBI court has said that she would “prefer to hang than seek bail” in the case, if found guilty.

In an emotional letter written to BJP president JP Nadda, dated September 26, the day he announced his new team of office bearers (dropping her as vice president), she said that her decision not to seek bail if found guilty in the case may make him (Mr. Nadda) exclude her from his team, but that would be the latter’s decision.

“I am proud of my participation in the Ayodhya movement and seeking bail would, I believe dilute this participating. Even if I have hang for having participated, it will be acceptable to me. In such circumstances whether or not you would want to keep me in your team is for you to consider,” she wrote.

In any event, Ms. Bharti did not find a place in Mr. Nadda’s team. She further wrote that even without a role or when the party had expelled her in the past, she had fought for the Ram temple, Ram rajya and the party’s ideology, especially among backward communities. “Ram Mandir is being built, Ram Rajya is pending. I will dedicate the rest of my life to Ram Rajya,” she said.