In what could be an embarrassment for the Congress, former Union Textiles Minister Shankersinh Vaghela has been named by the Justice (retd) Liberhan Commission among the 60 people found to have a culpable role in fomenting communal trouble in the aftermath of Babri Masjid demolition in 1992.

Vaghela is the only Congress leader to be indicted by the Liberhan Commission.

Vaghela was a BJP leader at the time of Babri demolition. He has been with the Congress since 1998. Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vaghela was with Jan Sangh before moving onto the Janata Party and the BJP. He was the party’s vice-president, general secretary and the state president till 1991.

“The first time I went to Ayodhya and Faizabad in my life was in 2008 in the company of a Congress leader friend. L.K. Advani had spoken to me about the Somnath to Ayodhya rath yatra, for which I made necessary arrangements in the geographical area under Gujarat in my capacity as the state BJP president. If that is construed as involvement, so be it. Even while with the BJP, I have all along been opposed to the hardliners, including the VHP and the Bajrang Dal, and their politics of extreme. I also did not figure in either the planning, funding or movement of the kar sevaks. I was neither taken into confidence nor aware of any plans relating to the demolition of the mosque. I was not present at the venue when the mosque was demolished on December 6, 1992,” said Vaghela.

Apart from Vaghela, only one other Gujarati – Pravin Togadia has been named in a list of 60 people who are found to have a culpable role in fomenting communal trouble in the aftermath of Babri Masjid demolition in 1992.