Ayodhya- The victim of 'dirty' politics!

India is a country of different religions, yet it claims to be a secular nation. But, ironically, in our country the dirty political games are played in the name of religions, to be specific- in the name of mandir and masjid.

Although the Hindutva brigade- Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) led 84-kosi yatra in Ayodhya's holy town turned out to be a flop show, but it surely resurrected the controversial issue of Lord Ram temple.

At the same time, the Samajwadi party (SP) burnished its pro-Muslim image by enforcing a ban on the VHP yatra.

While the VHP and the SP were at loggerheads over the "symbolically inaugurated" Yatra, the Congress "sandwiched" itself by alleging that the BJP and the SP are playing a "fixed-match".

The planned 'Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama Yatra' was scheduled till September 13 among six districts of Uttar Pradesh, but it was foiled in a massive crackdown by the UP administration.

Notwithstanding the crackdown, the VHP's "saffron-clad" sadhus were rounded up across the Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.

Founded on 29th August 1964, on the auspicious occasion of Shri Krishna Janmashtami, the VHP's prime objective is to "protect" the Hindu religion.

With lots of uproar, the VHP has been demanding that Parliament should pass a bill to built the Ram temple. It has set a deadline of October 18, 2013 for the Lok Sabha to pass the bill otherwise, it will launch a "nationwide agitation" across the country.

Ayodhya- The victim of politics

On Sunday, the VHP's saffron-clad sadhus were rounded up across the Uttar Pradesh.

Ayodhya- The victim of politics

In the veil of protecting rights of Hindus, isn't it a dirty politics in the name of religion?

Ayodhya- The victim of politics

The outfit's activists raised slogans like, "Ram lalla hum aayengey, Mandir wahin banayengey" (Lord Ram, we will come, and build the temple there itself).

Ayodhya- The victim of politics

At Janta Mantar in Delhi, during protests, the VHP activists even clashed with the police and reportedly pelted stones at them.

In the veil of protecting rights of Hindus, isn't it a dirty politics in the name of religion?

The Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) government, at the helm of affairs, remained on tenterhooks and banned the yatra over fears of communal flare up.

On the other side, the VHP claimed the Yatra to be a "purely religious march".

Interestingly, Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of the makeshift Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, slammed the VHP's yatra, calling it an attempt to polarise votes to garner support for the BJP ahead of the 2014 polls.

Alleging that VHP's yatra was politically-motivated, he said saints were being used for "vested interests".

The top VHP leaders Ashok Singhal and Pravin Togadia were among the 1,700 people arrested for defying ban. Singhal was arrested when he landed at the Lucknow airport while Togadia was arrested near the Saryu river banks.

The outfit's activists raised slogans like, "Ram lalla hum aayengey, Mandir wahin banayengey" (Lord Ram, we will come, and build the temple there itself).

In return, the VHP activists held protests and demonstrations against the UP government crackdown on the Ayodhya yatra.

At Janta Mantar in Delhi, during protests, they even clashed with the police and reportedly pelted stones at them.

Then Delhi Police was prompted to use water canons to disperse them and also lathi charged them as they tried to break barricades towards Parliament.

The VHP cadres also reportedly burnt the effigy of Samjwadi Party Supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and SP's prominent minister Azam Khan.

Amidst all this high-political drama, it is to be seen whether the Lord Ram will ever choose the holy town of Ayodhya as his permanent home?

Since 1992, the "sanctum sanctorum" of the holy site of Ayodhya has been in storm over the Ram Janmabhoomi issue and the subsequent demolition of Babri Mosque, thus creating riots that left 2000 people killed all across the country.

And till now, no common ground has been found yet...