Low-key observances mark December 6 in Ayodhya

Naga Sadhus of Hanuman Garhi temple, along with Hindu Suraksha and Seva Trust, organised a ‘deepotsav’ in the historic Hanuman Garhi temple.

Ayodhya remained peaceful on the 31st anniversary of demolition of Babri Masjid on Wednesday with Hindu and Muslim organisations holding separate, low-key events to mark the day.

Low-key observances mark December 6 in Ayodhya (htfile)

Naga Sadhus of Hanuman Garhi temple, along with Hindu Suraksha and Seva Trust, organised a ‘deepotsav’ in the historic Hanuman Garhi temple.

Seventy-six steps of the temple staircase were lit with 2100 earthen lamps and fire crackers were burst.

“Ram Mandir is coming up in Ayodhya after a long wait of several centuries,” said Raju Das, priest of Hanuman Garhi temple.

The Hindu Mahasabha administered oath to its cadre for liberation of the Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura and Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi.

Manish Pandey, national spokesperson of the Mahasabha, demanded financial assistance for families of kar sevaks who died in the Ram Mandir movement.

Muslims organisations observed the day as ‘Shahadat Diwas’ and organised ‘Quran Khani’.

“We will always observe December 6 as ‘Shahadat Diwas’,” said Haji Mahboob, a local Muslim leader of Ayodhya.

However, Iqbal Ansari, one of the Muslim litigants in the Ram Mandir -Babri Masjid title dispute, said: “After the Supreme Court’s verdict (November 9, 2019) on Ram Mandir, we do not observe Shahadat Diwas. Ram Mandir is coming up in Ayodhya and, along with it, overall development of the city.”