WSN Service

AYODHYA: Hindu mobs forced their way across police barricades, and despite firing in which some reports say 150 people died, planted saffron flags atop the domes of the Babri mosque and damaged a few structures with crow bars. Several people have been killed elsewhere across the nation in communal clashes. Tensions were running high particularly in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh states.

An earlier report said the state government frustrated the Hindu fundamentalists’ attempt at demolishing the historic Babri mosque at Ayodhia or starting construction work on the Rama temple at the disputed place, a Government of India spokesman stated here.

However, rumors continued to be spread throughout the day that a violent mob of fundamentalists succeeded in damaging the mosque and commencing Kar Seva at the site and that contingents of Central Reserve Police Force and the State police refused to fire on the crowds to disperse them.

The spokesman admitted that a violent mob of about 700 persons entered the disputed area after breaking the police cordon, tried unsuccessfully to harm the mosque and start the construction work but they were dispersed quickly by the police after the minimum use of force against them. Five fundamentalists were killed as a result. The Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayyad made it a point to “categorically” assert that the mosque had suffered no loss and that neither “kar Seva” had begun nor any other ceremony was allowed to be performed. The opposition Congress (I) spokesman Gadgil as well as a group of Muslim Congress (I) leaders demanded Prime Minister V.P. Singh’s resignation on the ground that the Janata Dal Governments of U.P. and the Centre had failed to maintain the status quo in terms of the court order. The Congress (I)’s stand is obviously aimed at appealing to the Muslim electorate.

As a result of police lathi-charge and firing on the Hindu fundamentalists five persons were killed and 30-40 were injured. The injured included the Vishva Hindu General Secretary Ashok Singhal and Swami Brahmdev.

The Deputy Commissioner of Faizabad district in which Ayodhia falls stated that 700 volunteers entered the disputed place, tried to mount the mosque and the police after a minimum use of force dispersed them without allowing any harm to be caused to the mosque. He also said that no ceremonies were allowed to be held at the disputed site.

LUCKNOW: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Atal Behari Vapayee was arrested here Monday night.

Vajpayee had come here to go to Ayodhya to take part in Kar Seva.

Vajpayee was arrested along with two others, Kedar Nath Sahani (party general secretary) and Shiv Kumar, at the Amausi airport here amidst tight security.

Official sources later said that Vajpayee had been taken to Saharanpur.

BJP president L K Advani and party vice-president, Mrs Vijayaraje Scindia, had already been arrested.

The total number of arrests by Tuesday morning had crossed 80,000.

Vishnu Hari Dalmia and Manhant Avaidhyanath of Vishva HinduParisahad and Janambhumi Jagna Samiti were arrested on Saturday. On the Delhi-UP border Madan Lal Khurana along with 1000 volunteers of the BJP were also arrested. They were on their way to Ayodhia. On Sunday Mrs Scindia along with 6000 volunteers was arrested at Chitrakoot.

More than 60,000 people had been arrested by Saturday as troops sealed off Ayodhya and the borders of Uttar Pradesh state from a swarm of Hindu pilgrims.

Police gave no figure for the number of arrests, but Press Trust of India and United News of India said 15,000 were detained at one southern border crossing.

Among them was Vijaya Raje Scindia, vice president of the rightwing Hindu BJP Scindia was arrested on charges of “violating a prohibitory order,” United News reported. The state government had banned the leaders of several Hindu fundamentalist groups from the state.

The controversy is centered on a 16th century mosque, the Babri Masjid, in this town of 40,000 people about 300 miles southeast of New Delhi.

Hindu fundamentalists say the mosque stands on the birthplace of the god Rama. They say they will replace the structure with a temple and have set Wednesday for beginning construction.

Article extracted from this publication >> November 2, 1990