AYODHYA: Under a thick security blanket and with the district administration banning any show of protest or celebrations on the 28th anniversary of Babri demolition, the mood in Ayodhya was very unlike past decades with both Muslim and Hindu outfits abandoning their clarion calls of ‘Black Day’ or ‘Shaurya Diwas’. The reasons were twin — the Supreme Court verdict on Ayodhya title suit had brought closure to the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute and enforcement of pandemic Act scuttled any public show of belligerence.
While Muslims confined themselves to mosques to mourn the demolition and vowed to defend the Kashi and Mathura masjids, a handful of Hindu Mahasabha members managed to sneak past barricades on Saryu banks and pledged to liberate the two shrines.
Talking to TOI, convener of Babri Masjid Action Committee Zafaryab Jilani said, “We have sent a memorandum addressed to the President and Chief Justice of India with an appeal to direct CBI to file a review petition in high court against acquittal of Babri demolition accused. We have also asked Muslims across India to take a pledge to defend Kashi and Mathura mosques, which are being drawn into legal battles.”
Senior VHP leader Mahant Kamal Nayan Das said, “We had issued advisories to our cadre not to celebrate the anniversary of Babri demolition as ‘Shaurya Diwas’ and did not hold any event on this day.” Former litigant in Ayodhya title suit from Muslim side, Haji Mahboob, told TOI that community members mourned the demolition and offered prayers.
Ayodhya DIG Deepak Kumar told TOI, “the day passed off peacefully with seers and clerics joining hands to maintain harmony.”