Hindu outfits not to observe 'Shaurya Diwas' post-Ayodhya verdict

Lucknow, Nov 30: Days before the anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, Hindu outfits here on Saturday said they would not observe the day as "Shaurya Diwas" this time in view of the Supreme Court verdicts in the Ayodhya case and urged people to maintain communal harmony.

After the demolition of the disputed structure on December 6, 1992, Hindu organisations, including the VHP, had been observing "Shurya Diwas" (victory day) while Muslim outfits remembered the incident as the "yaum-e-gham" (day of mourning).

Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas chief Mahant Nritya Gopal Das said there was no relevance left for it after the apex court verdict and urged people to light earthen lamps in their homes, temples besides reciting Lord Ram aarti to give a message of communal harmony.
VHP spokesman Sharad Sharma too said his organisation would not observe the day on December 6.

"After the Supreme Court verdict clearing the way for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, there is no relevance left for observing either shaurya or gham programmes on December 6," said Nritya Gopal Das, who is also the head of the Maniram Dasji Chavani temple, in a release.

The mahant said just as the countrymen presented an example of peace and harmony to the world after the Supreme Court verdict, "we need not organise any public programme on December 6 and provide any opportunity that could lead to tensions".

The mahant said the carving of stone slabs for the temple would speed up soon. "As of now, we are concentrating on the instructions of the Supreme Court given to the central government," he said.

Stressing that saints of Ayodhya had no dispute over the SC directives of setting up a trust for the temple construction, he said they had full faith in the government. "All saints are united in the task of installing Ram Lala in a grand temple," he added.