Senior advocate Rajiv Dhawan, who represented the Muslim side in the Ayodhya case, spoke to India Today TV for the first time ever after the Ayodhya verdict. In a no-holds-barred interview, Rajiv Dhawan spoke about CJI Ranjan Gogoi, why he thinks the verdict didn't uphold justice, how excreta was thrown at him by some fringe elements during the trial, and how according to him, the SC succumbed to sentiments and pressure of the ruling government.

Rajiv Dhawan also clarified his remark which had sparked controversy on Wednesday. In a TV interview, Dhawan had said: "Muslims have never been responsible for disturbing the atmosphere in the country. Hindus do it." Clarifying his remarks, Dhawan told India Today TV that he was not talking about the Hindu community at large but only Sangh Pariwar. "I am not talking about the Hindu community. I have faith in a large number of citizens who belong to this community, who do not agree with this kind of violence," he said.

Here are the excerpts from his interview with India Today TV's Tanushree Pandey:

'I APPEARED FOR MUSLIMS AND HINDUS'

Rajiv Dhawan: "I didn't just appear for the Muslims. I appeared for a large section of Hindus who believed in liberal secularism. It was a cause lawyering case. It was not a case that can be depicted as Muslims vs Hindus. It was a case to protect the constitutional fabric of the state which was at stake."

ON HIS STATEMENT - HINDUS DISTURB PEACE

Rajiv Dhawan: "I don't know who interviewed me. And yesterday's interview was taken under false pretenses. When I said Hindus, I referred to those Hindus who are responsible for the violence related to Babri Masjid. In court, I called these violent Hindus as Hindu Taliban. I stand by that statement. Consider in the last century, how much violence was perpetrated. In 1934, Muslims tried to defend the mosque and it was broken. In 1949, it trespassed. Between 1950 and 1992, every order of the receiver was not followed by Hindus. And the biggest act of all, the destruction of Babri Masjid. And I will say it again and again that all the violence at Babri Masjid was Hindu violence, perpetrated by Hindu Taliban but I limit that violence to the Sangh Parivar and all those members who perpetrated this violence."

"I am concerned about Sangh Parivar's violence related to Babri case and that is Hindu Taliban. In court, one of them nearly attacked me. I have received death threats, curses, around 2000 letters full of abuses. Excreta was thrown outside my residence. I call this also a kind of violence."

"I am not talking about the Hindu community. I have faith in a large number of citizens who belong to this community, who do not agree with this kind of violence"

ON THE CRIMINAL TRIAL

Rajiv Dhawan: "If the defence of the criminal trial is on moral grounds that we were doing our duty to Hindu sentiment, then let's not run away from the fact that there was an act of violence which is unpardonable according to Hindu, Muslim and every other faith on this planet."

ON MANDIR WAHI BANEGA AND RULING GOVT'S MANIFESTO WHICH PROMISED RAM MANDIR

Rajiv Dhawan: "When a case is going on, the government or any other person can not talk about the desired outcome. When they say "Mandir Wahi Banega", it's a contempt of court."

"BJP's manifesto is not a holy book. The manifesto talks about a Ram Temple as the only outcome. This should amount to contempt of court. Advani wants praise now, but someone should tell him - destruction is not the right path. His Rath Yatra was not to consolidate Hindus but to intimidate Muslims."

ON THE REVIEW PETITION

Rajiv Dhawan: "Review is a choice of Sunni Waqf Board. I would advice a review for only one reason because there cannot be peace without justice. And Muslim parties have still not stated what they object to in this judgment. And the only way to put this on record is through a review."

"Will it succeed or not, it's a different debate. But the review is a right. And it will point out what is fundamentally wrong in the judgment."

ON CONGRESS'S STAND

Rajiv Dhawan: "Congress backing down and taking off National Herald's article which spoke of the verdict in a bad light is a grievous mistake. It is a shame that a political party browbeat their own news paper's voice. Let Congress come out and say we will not be intimidated as far as justice and truth is concerned"

ON SC'S DECISION

Rajiv Dhawan:"It is not the SC's job to give a judgment wholly for the sake of peace. The power of the SC exercised, in this case, was under Article 142 of the Constitution. Article 142 talks about complete justice. Therefore, the responsibility of the SC was to make sure that complete justice was done, which is not what happened here."

"I don't think it was necessary for CJI Ranjan Gogoi to have a close-door meeting with the law enforcement agencies. This cannot be done behind the curtains of court. It was a simple question that they have to pass an order and it has to be obeyed at any cost. CJI and Justice Ashok Bhushan do not hobnob with the politicians and police, that's not their jurisdiction. This happened around the time of Ayodhya verdict. It was absolutely improper. Orders should be passed in open courts, not implemented behind closed doors."