Mulayam Singh Yadav justifies police firing on kar sevaks in 1990

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on Wednesday justified his order to open fire on kar sevaks marching on Ayodhya in 1990, and said that "if more had to be killed for the country's unity, the security forces would have done it".

"Desh ki ekta ke liye aur bhi maarna padta toh suraksha bal maartey ("if more had to be killed for the country's unity, the security forces would have done it)," PTI quoted him as saying.

Mulayam said 28 kar sevaks had been killed in the firing in Ayodhya on October 30, 1990.

"A number of Muslims had taken up arms saying if their place of worship ceased to exist, then what would remain in the country," PTI quoted him as saying as justification for his having saved the Babri Masjid.

Mulayam had been chief minister of Uttar Pradesh during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement spearheaded by the VHP.

The movement seeks to build a Ram temple at the site where the Babri Masjid stood, because its supporters believe it is the site of Lord Ram's birth.

The mosque was finally demolished on December 6, 1992.

By then, Kalyan Singh of the BJP was chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.