Lucknow, Jan 25 (PTI): About 25 years after the incident, Samajwadi Party Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday said he "felt sad" for ordering firing on 'karsewaks' in Ayodhya in 1990 but it was necessary to save the religious place.

Yadav, who was the then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, had ordered firing on karsewaks in Ayodhya in 1990 in which 16 people were killed.

"I feel sad for firing on Karsewaks but it was necessary to save the religious place (Babri Mosque)," Yadav said while addressing party workers at party headquarter in Lucknow on occasion of birth anniversary of socialist leader Karpoori Thakur.

Yadav said when the then Leader of Opposition Atal Bihari Vajpayee had mentioned the incident in Parliament, he had replied that it was necessary to order firing.

"He would have not considered his decision, if more lives would have gone to save the religious place," he said, mentioning his replying in Parliament.

Addressing the party workers, Yadav came down heavily on party ministers saying, "he knew what they were doing. If they (ministers) have to earn money they should quit politics and start business".