AYODHYA: The VHP will not rest until it makes Ayodhya another Amritsar. | will be completing 100 years after four months. | have seen all sorts’ so mark my word. Guns will rule Ayodhya” says the ageing mahant of Hanuman Garhi Ram Khelawan Das.

The Baba is not far from truth for the VHP-BJP combine has attracted the lumpen element into its fold. Police records reveal that many of the protagonists of the Ram temple cause are criminals. The assimilation of mobsters into the VHP-BUJP fold has therefore resulted in the exclusion of the devout from the “holy cause” of building the temple.

It is learnt that over a dozen hardened criminals with cases of murder attempt to murder loot dacoity and even rape have joined hands with the VHP-BUP in Faizabad district and the surrounding areas. The president of the Bajrang Dal Ayodhya Sanjay Tripathi is one of them. He is now in Faizabad jail facing a loot charge. Another is dacoit Dharam Das who is a member of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas.

The biggest mobster in Ayodhya according to the police Is Ram Kirpal Das. He is wanted in over a dozen cases of murder loot and attempt to murder. Officially he is absconding. His associate is Prahiad Das the “most notorious” criminal of Faizabad division. According to police records he is a professional assassin. He was associated with the dreaded Kamdev Singh gang of Bihar. Shankar Dev also of Prahlac’s gang was wanted in 10 cases. Al present he is in jail under NSA.

Besides Brijesh Das Ram Das Ram Avtar Das Manohar Das are all members of Prahlad gang. And their alleged protector BJP’s Tribnuvan Das a reported to be a close associate of the Faizabad MP Vinay Kanyar. In 1975-76 he came under a cloud due to the death of his guru Hani Das under suspicious Circumstances. In 1982-83 his name figured in the murder of a mahant of Hammat Bhawan. In 1984-85 he again came into spot light because of the murder of a mahant in Hardwar. He was also nabbed in Patna while in association with the Kamdey Singh gang. Tribhuvandas shifted his area of operation to Ayodhya.

Across the Sutlej River is Gonda district The BJP MP from Gonda Braj Bhushan Singh is named in police records as number two in notoriety in Faizabad division. He is wanted in over two dozen criminal cases. According to police entry against his name “Braj Bhushan gang has the maximum number of English weapons. His men also have a large number of licensed arms”.

The latest incident involving the gang Is the murder of an independent candidate for Haryana Vidhan Sabha seat during the last elections. The police arrested the BUP vice-president of Basti district. The office-bearer is allegedly a member of the so-called Braj Bhushan gang.

Adjacent to Ayodhya-Faizabad is Azamgarh. The BJP candidate for Sadar Vidhan Sabha seat was Jhinku Singh. He was defeated at the hosting and is now in jail. The reason property looted from a roadways bus was recovered from his house. He is also wanted in over 20 cases of murder attempt to murder arson loot and dacoity. An “A-class history-sheeter but the cops are yet to clamp the NSA on him.

In almost the same class is Pawan Pandey BJP MLA from Akbarpur Pandey is Shiv Sena member of the Lower House and is a history-sheeter. He has been named in nearly the dozen heinous offences.

He made his presence felt in Lucknow by being involved in a murder.

The combined might of the mobsters has struck terror in the heart of the local residents Says Ram Khelawan Das the terror of the VHP is all compassing. People are afraid. No one dares to speak.” Dictating the sentiment is Ram Dayal Saran who was a mahant in Sakat Mochan temple which is adjacent to be disputed shrine. According to Saram the VHP asked him to hand over the temple so that the new Ram temple complex could be constructed. He did not agree so the VHP made one Chet Ram Das a witness and registered the property with the Ayodhya Nagar Palika the name of Ram Ashram Das. Later Ram Ashram Das handed over the site to the VHP Ram Dayal has now moved court against Chet Ram Das.

Similarly Mahant Saksh Gopal who was a pujari in a temple next to the Janmabhoomi also: came under pressure to hand over the property. In disgust he left Ayodhya.

According to local residents the VHP has been acquiring land at a rapid pace In Ayodhya) It already has In its possession over 20 acres on the Ramghat. It bought six acres shortly after the formation of the BJP Govt in the stale in the name of Kar Sewak Puram Local MP Vinay Katika himself has built a sprawling house near Ramghat. Coupled with a number of camps” including that of Netya Gopal Das: Ninnan Shala and Gyan Math the VHP has in its possession about one-fourth of Ayodhya The transformation: of the holy town In to” “a NHP cantonment is nearly complete.

Article extracted from this publication >> September 20, 1991