The Hindu : National : Anniversary of masjid demolition observed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 07, 2005

National

National

Anniversary of masjid demolition observed

Special Correspondent

Songs rendered and poems recited on the theme of unity and cultural integration

Members of the All-India Muslim Unity Front raise slogans as Shiv Sena activists stage a demonstration in New Delhi on Tuesday, demanding construction of a Ram Temple at Ayodhya. _ PHOTO: V. V. KRISHNAN

NEW DELHI: The Samajwadi Party and the Kaifi Azmi Foundation observed Tuesday as `Black Day', to mark the 13th anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid by holding public rallies in the capital.

Parliamentarians S. Sudhakar Reddy, Nirmala Deshpande, Bhubaneshwar Prasad Mehta and activists turned up for the foundation's programme where songs were rendered and poems recited on the theme of unity and cultural integration.

The SP demonstration was led by its national secretary, Usha Yadav. The party also presented a memorandum to the President recounting the party stand on the issue and took a pledge to work for the unity and integrity of the country and uphold its secular values.

Submit report

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has urged the Justice Liberhan Commission, probing the demolition of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992, to submit its report immediately.

In a statement, S.Q.R. Ilyas, convener, also urged the Uttar Pradesh Government to issue a revised notification for the transfer of the case from the Rae Bareily court to the CBI special court in Lucknow.

"The AIMPLB and its committee on the Babri Masjid are shocked and anguished at the State Government's negative response to its repeated appeals to Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav to issue a revised notification to combine all criminal cases under FIRs 197 and 198 for hearing by the CBI special court."

Mr. Ilyas appealed to the United Progressive Alliance Government to direct the CBI to pursue the criminal cases under the two FIRs with vigour so that justice prevailed and the perpetrators of the heinous crime were punished. He urged the Centre to announce in Parliament its commitment to fully implement the final verdict in the Babri Masjid title suit case, expected early next year.

Tragic incident: Vajpayee

PTI reports:

Terming the demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya as a "tragic incident", the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on Tuesday expressed hope that the temple would be built at the Ram Janmasthan (disputed site) with everyone's cooperation.

"Nobody had planned to demolish it. There was an expectation that with everyone's cooperation, a temple would be built at the Ram Janamsthan but developments took place in such a way that the tragic incident happened," he said here on the 13th anniversary of the demolition after attending a function to mark B.R. Ambedkar's death anniversary. "Memories remain. There is hope that with everyone's cooperation and consultation, the temple will be built on Ram Janmasthan," he said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National

News Update

Stories in this Section