New Delhi, Dec 6 (IANS) After admitting there were perceptions that former prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao did not do enough to prevent demolition of Babri mosque at Ayodhya in 1992, the Congress Sunday said the leader had to atone for his mistake by denial of the Lok Sabha ticket in 1998.

Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said: "Mr. Rao was made to atone for the constitutional paralysis that afflicted him by denying him a ticket in 1998 to contest the Lok Sabha elections."

Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh said it was a mistake on the part of Rao to have believed the assurance given by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the then Bharatiya Janata Party-led Uttar Pradesh government.

"It was a mistake on the part of Narasimha Rao to believe the assurance in affidavit of Uttar Pradesh government given to the Supreme Court and assurances of (BJP leader) L.K. Advani to the National Integration Council," Singh told IANS.

Singh added that though Rao had little option in view of the affidavit, the Congresss had apologised to the Muslim community.

"What other option did the PM (prime minister) have? Despite this, the party has apologised to the community for demolition," he said.

On Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's remarks that Liberhan report was "guru-dakshina" (gift to teacher) by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to his political mentor Rao and the Congress had facilitated the installation of idols at the disputed site in Ayodhya, Digvijay Singh said the SP leader was unnecessarily vitiating communal harmony.

"He is stoking the fire again 17 years after the demolition," Digvijay Singh said

He hit out at Mulayam for seeking the company of Kalyan Singh before the Lok Sabha election.

The Congress had initially defended Rao in the wake of a clean chit given to him in the Liberhan report and pointed out to his helplessness in taking firm action in Ayodhya in view of Kalyan Singh's affidavit.