LUCKNOW: The 16th anniversary of the demolition of Babri Mosque at Ayodhya in Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh yesterday passed off without any major incidents. The situation in the state was reported to be completely peaceful according to a senior state home ministry official.
However, Hindu fanatical organizations including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad(VHP) and the Bajrang Dal (BD) observed the anniversary as “Gallantry Day” by holding functions in several towns of the state.
“We would like to send the message that if we the Hindus can demolish the masjid with great fanfare, and can kill the Muslim terrorists in Mumbai with courage, we would like to mention it proudly that we can defeat the evil designs of Muslims in the country with pride and courage, and the demolition of the masjid and the killings of the Muslim terrorists is a sign of the gallantry of the Hindus,” said Deenanath Upadhaya, a VHP activist in Faizabad.
The Uttar Pradesh government had declared high alert throughout the state. Security was beefed up at railway stations, vital installations, cinema houses, bus stations and crowded shopping areas. Police carried out checks at hotels and lodges and scrutinized the guests details. Police patrolling was also intensified in sensitive areas in all the districts of the state.
Meanwhile, Muslim clerics have decided to take out peace marches today in 11 Indian cities to ‘share the pain’ of the Mumbai carnage victims.
At a conference organized at the India International Center here yesterday, members of the Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, the Mili Council and the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat came down heavily on terrorism.
“There should be no confusion that Islam does not permit killing of innocents. We share the pain of those who were killed in the Mumbai terror attacks. I have asked the people to celebrate Eid with simplicity,” said Mufti M. Mukaram Ahmad, a top cleric.
The peace marches will be taken out today afternoon in Ahemdabad, Bangalore, Bhopal, Chennai, Delhi, Faizabad, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Patna, Lucknow and Mumbai, the clerics said. There will no speeches, slogans or shouting during the marches.
Speaking at the conference, veteran journalist M.J. Akbar, said: “Such acts (terrorism)are against the spirit of Islam and attack on secularism and democracy of India.” The clerics asked the government to introduce religious education in school curriculum in the country so that children are not mislead in the name of religion.
Separately, the Islamic seminary Dar-Ul- Uloom of Deoband has suggested to the Muslims to avoid slaughtering cows on Eid-Al-Adha as a mark of respect to the religious beliefs of the Hindus.
In another development, Mohammed Yunis Siddiqui, president of the All India Babri Masjid Reconstruction Committee (AIBMRC), was denounced yesterday for urging the president of India to order the Indian armed forces to launch an immediate attack on terrorist training camps in Pakistan. Some Muslims accused him of dragging the community into a political issue.
— With input from agencies
