Advani trial decision delayed

A court in India has delayed deciding whether the deputy Prime Minister, LK Advani, should stand trial for inciting Hindu mobs to destroy a historic mosque in 1992.

The site of the destroyed mosque is a no-go area

The tearing down of the 16th century Babri mosque at Ayodhya sparked nationwide riots in which over 2,000 people were killed.

The court in Uttar Pradesh (UP) state was due to have decided on Wednesday if Mr Advani should be charged with provoking the mosque attack.

However, the judge said he needed more time to sift through documents provided by the prosecution investigators and defence lawyers.

The decision over whether to try Mr Advani and his BJP colleagues has been rescheduled for 12 September.

Defence attorneys have said there is no video or audio evidence to support the prosecution's case.

Seven other senior members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could face trial for inciting unrest. They include Human Resources and Development Minister, Murli Manohar Joshi, and former Sports Minister, Uma Bharti.

Arrest warrant

An arrest warrant was issued on Tuesday for the man who was chief minister of UP - in which Ayodhya is situated - at the time of the mosque's destruction.

Tight security and the fear of violence has transformed Ayodhya

The warrant was issued by a separate judicial commission which wants the former chief minister, Kalyan Singh, to give evidence before it.

Mr Singh has so far refused, saying he will only do so if Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Mr Advani are also called to the stand.

Mr Singh has threatened to expose the alleged role played by Mr Advani and Mr Vajpayee in instigating the mosque's destruction.

Since 1992, the site of the mosque has been sealed-off by the authorities - but Hindu nationalists still clamour for a temple to be built there.

Over 10 years later, the dispute continues to poison relations between the country's Hindu and Muslim communities.

In 2002, a train carrying Hindus from Ayodhya was set alight in the western state of Gujarat, sparking another round of vicious rioting in which many Muslims were killed.