M A I N   N E W S

CRPF lodges FIR against VHP leaders

Ayodhya, October 19
The CRPF, in charge of inner cordon security at the makeshift Ram temple in the Ram Janmabhumi-Babri Masjid complex, today filed an FIR against VHP leaders in connection with the storming of the sanctum sanctorum on Wednesday even as proposals have been made for declaring Ayodhya a ‘no-flying zone’ and strengthening of police deployment.

CRPF Deputy Commandant Dharmendra Singh lodged an FIR under Section 186 of the IPC for violation of security cordon at the disputed complex on Wednesday against VHP supremo Ashok Singhal, vice-president S.C. Dixit and 40 others, official sources said.

The security at the complex and the acquired land was further stepped up today, the Commissioner, Faizabad, Mr Anil Kumar Gupta, who held a meeting of senior civil and police officials to review the security arrangements at the acquired land, said. PTI

No law violation in Ayodhya: Advani
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 19
Union Home Minister L.K. Advani today maintained that he did not think that the VHP leaders, who forced their entry into the makeshift temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya on Wednesday, had violated any law even as he disapproved of their act.

“I don’t think there was any violation of law...You are not permitted to go beyond the fence but you go and you are pushed out and the matter ends there,” Mr Advani said during a “Meet-the-Press” organised at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club here.

While feigning ignorance about what exactly had happened in Ayodhya, the Home Minister said “I have asked for a report from the Uttar Pradesh Government. But prima facie, I would disapprove of what VHP leaders had done there”.

When probed further, Mr Advani said there might be a security lapse as Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had said yesterday and it was the responsibility of the state government to ensure that no such incidents took place.

On the innumerous reports on vandalism in the Taj Mahal in Agra by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha activists, Mr Advani said “to the best of my knowledge, the reports were exaggerated and no such vandalism took place in Agra”.

Regarding the demands made by opposition parties for a ban on Sangh Parivar outfits like the Bajrang Dal at the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, in the wake of ban on SIMI, the Home Minister ruled out a ban on them, saying “there is no evidence to suggest that these organisations (Sangh Parivar outfits) were indulging in terrorist and subversive activities”.

Later talking to The Tribune, Mr Advani said the government would not backtrack on the promulgation of the new anti-terrorism ordinance in the wake of opposition from several parties.

VHP defends action in Ayodhya
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 19
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad today threatened to carry on with its act of entering the disputed structure in Ayodhya, if the government does not make adequate arrangement for the devotees to have proper darshan of Lord Rama.

“We have not violated any law. We would continue to enter the disputed area to have darshan, if proper arrangement is not made,” said the VHP vice-president, Acharya Giriraj Kishore, here.

He said the Supreme Court in its directive had stated that the devotees should be allowed to have proper darshan from a distance taking security aspect into consideration.

Talking to mediapersons, Acharya Giriraj Kishore said the senior members of the VHP including working president Ashok Singhal, urged the security personnel guarding the disputed structure to allow them to have a closer darshan.

Despite waiting for about an hour, none of the senior official turned up or gave any instruction - either allowing or denying permission to the VHP leaders, he said.

He said the VHP leaders were at the site for more than an hour and as the news of their presence at the site spread several others joined them and had a darshan.

Asked about Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s statement that the VHP action was due to lapse in security and it would be strengthened, Acharya Giriraj Kishore said, “the Prime Minister has not been properly informed about the incident.”

The VHP leader suggested that a committee of five dharamacharyas be formed to workout the security and distance from which darshan would be allowed.

Mosque demolition was planned: VHP

New Delhi, October 19
Vishwa Hindu Parishad vice-president Acharya Giriraj Kishore today admitted before the Liberhan Commission that the VHP had planned to construct the Ram Janambhoomi temple after demolishing Babri Mosque to remove the 450-year-old “kalank” (blot) as the structure was “disgraceful and humiliating” for the entire Hindu community.

Acharya Kishore had earlier claimed that some BJP and VHP leaders had tried to prevent ‘karsevaks’ from going near the structure or climbing atop it. However, deposing before the commission, the VHP leader was forced to admit this plan when he was shown an architectural design of the proposed temple made in 1990-91. The design showed the temple at the site where domes existed.

When pointedly asked by Justice Liberhan that whether they had not planned to construct the temple after demolishing the structure, Acharya Kishore said, “tha nahin hai (the plan is very much there even now).”

The disputed structure was the victory symbol of Mughal emperor Babur, an “invader” who had built the mosque after demolishing a Ram temple, he claimed.

Earlier, he said there were differences of opinion even within the VHP on whether to construct the proposed Ram temple at the site where disputed structure existed or adjacent to it.

However, he failed to name even one prominent leader who was in favour of constructing the temple at an adjacent site. UNI