"I demolished Babri mosque; Kashi and Mathura are next targets"

Even as a special CBI court acquitted all the 32 accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case, one of the accused boasted during an interview to a TV news channel that he was one of the people who demolished the mosque on December 6, 1992.

"Our objective was always to demolish Babri. We first tried it in 1990 but then Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav foiled the bid by firing bullets at us. But our commitment was unflinching and we succeeded in 1992," said Jai Bhgwan Goyal, who once was the Shiv Sena's North India chief.

He also claimed that although the court had acquitted him, he was even prepared for the death penalty. "This is because of the blessings of Lord Ram that we have been acquitted. But I was prepared for even death penalty as demolishing Babri is an act of pride for me."

He also went on to speak about his sinister future plan of action. "Now that the Supreme Court has ordered the construction of a grand Ram Temple, our next assignment would be demolishing mosques in Mathura and Kashi."

There is a belief among some Hindu conservatives and right-wing organisations that the Idgah mosque in Mathura was constructed by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb after demolishing the temple at Lord Krishna’s birthplace.

Former BJP MP Vinay Katiyar also echoed similar sentiments. “The decision to launch a kar seva movement in Mathura would be taken only after consulting the saints. Only if they approve, will we would go ahead. Those who want to derive political mileage can join us,” he said.

Last year, Pragya Singh Thakur, the controversial BJP MP from Bhopal and another accused who has been acquitted in the Babdri Masjid demolition case, too also proudly claimed her role in Babri demolition in front of cameras.