Journalism of Courage
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Shiv Sena and two petitioners in the Ayodhya issue will be organising separate events in Ayodhya city on Wednesday to observe the 25 years since the Babri Masjid’s demolition. The Supreme Court on Tuesday had heard cross-appeals against the Allahabad High Court verdict that partitioned the disputed site in Ayodhya among three parties.
Petitioner Haji Mehboob said that he, along with other members of the Muslim community, will observe ‘Yaum-e-Gham’ (Day of sorrow) at his residence in Ayodhya, where people with black bands tied to the arms will assemble. “They will express their sentiments about the demolition of the Babri Masjid on Wednesday,” Mehboob told The Indian Express, adding that while Hindu groups will celebrate, the mood among Muslims was more of sorrow.
Litigant Iqbal Ansari, whose father late Hashim Ansari was the oldest litigant in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title suit, will also hold an assembly of members of the community at his home. “We want peace and harmony between Hindus and Muslims. We will not to do anything that can provoke others. First, the Quran will be recited by the gathering. Later, lawyers of Muslim parties associated with the cases, will brief everyone about developments in the case in court over the past year. Today’s development in the Supreme Court will also be told to the gathering so that they can remain updated about the matter,” Ansari said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the VHP will be holding a “Shaurya Sankap Sabha” at its campus, Karsevakpuram, to “celebrate” the demolition. “That is a routine programme that we hold every year. There we will take a pledge that only Ram temple should be built and there will be no mosque at the site of dispute. Seers and VHP office-bearers from different parts of the state will address the gathering,” said Sharad Sharma, VHP spokesperson. He added that similar programmes will be organised across the country. Head of Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, Nritya Gopal Das, will preside over the programme in Karsevakpuram.
Sharma said VHP has also appealed to the people of Ayodhya to light earthen lamps outside their homes and in temples in their vicinity on Wednesday evening to celebrate the 25th anniversary. VHP will also organised a similar programme in Lucknow, where saints from across the state as well as Uttarakhand and newly-elected mayor Sanyukta Bhatiya will be special guests. “The issue of Ram Janmabhoomi will be highlighted through bike rallies and padyatras too in the coming days to create an atmosphere in support of the Ram temple,” said a VHP leader in Lucknow.
The Shiv Sena will also observe “Vijay Diwas” in Ayodhya on Wednesday. Party workers will assemble at the ‘samadhi’ of Ramchandra Das Paramhans, who was head of Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, near the Saryu river. “We will offer floral tributes to Paramhans, to those karsevaks who sacrificed their lives for the Ram temple movement. There, we will raise the demand for BJP to declare the beginning of construction of the Ram temple. Then we will visit the makeshift Ram temple for darshan,” said Anil Singh, the Sena head in UP.
Apart from this, religious activities will be performed in the campuses of Digambar Akhara and Nirmohi Akhara.
