Ayodhya, December 6
The 12th anniversary of the demolition of the Babri mosque today passed off peacefully amid tight security in the twin towns of Ayodhya and Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh with Hindu organisations led by the VHP marking the day as ‘Shaurya Divas’ and Muslim outfits observing a ‘Black Day’.VHP activists who converged at Karsevakpuram demanded construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya and took a vow to “liberate Kashi and Mathura” as Shiv Sena workers held a meeting on the banks of the Sarayu river, pledging to build a temple and flaying the BJP for “doing nothing” when the NDA government was in power.
The Muslim community kept their business establishments closed and wore black badges as a mark of protest while the Faizabad unit of the All-India Muslim League staged a dharna and sent a memorandum to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam demanding reconstruction of Babri Masjid. Special prayers were held at the local mosques for reconstruction of the Babri mosque.
Mahant Gyan Das, president of the Akhara Parishad, organised a peace meeting at Hanuman Garhi at which speakers stressed upon the need for Hindu-Muslim unity and not to allow “outsiders to hamper the peace in the temple towns”.
The main priest of the makeshift temple, Satyendra Das, and Mahant Gyan Das also took part in a peace meeting. “No untoward incident has been reported from anywhere so far”, a Home Department spokesman said. Elaborate security arrangements had been made by the district administration with a huge police force maintaining vigil throughout the day.
CHENNAI: Hundreds of volunteers of Muslim organisations, including the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam, were taken into custody as they attempted to stage demonstrations on the anniversary of the Babri mosque demolition across Tamil Nadu, defying a ban.
In Chennai city, more than 600 volunteers, including a large number of women, were taken into custody when they tried to hold a demonstration near the Head Post Office here.
In Coimbatore, 1,000 TMMK activists were taken into
custody while they were proceeding to demonstrate at two places in the city, defying ban orders.
HYDERABAD: A bandh was observed here on the 12th anniversary of the demolition of the Babri mosque but life remained unaffected except in old city areas. Tight security arrangements were made for the bandh called by Muslim organisations. — PTI
