Saints meet President in Delhi
They demand CBI inquiry into Ayodhya attack
By Pramod Kumar
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the saints associated with the Ramjanma-bhoomi movement have demanded a CBI inquiry into the recent jehadi attack in Ayodhya. In a memorandum presented to the President of India, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, on July 19 in New Delhi, the saints said that all the loopholes in the security cover for Ramjanmabhoomi premises should be plugged and the officials or persons responsible for the loopholes should be punished.
?All information about the terrorists be gathered and if it is found that they were related to Pakistan, the Government of India should strongly lodge its protests with the Government of Pakistan publicly and ensure the severest punishment for those locals (living in Bharat) who are found to have provided any kind of cooperation to the terrorists,? the memorandum said, adding that the security personnel, who not only saved the Janmabhoomi risking their lives but also eliminated the terrorists, should be felicitated publicly. The saints also demanded a review of the entire barricading and its repair work by a fair and objective agency.
The delegation that met the President under the banner of Shri Ramjanmabhoomi temple construction high-power committee, included Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Swami Ramabhadracharya (Chitrakoot), Mahant Nrityagopaldas (Ayodhya), Juna Peethadhishwar Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Avadheshananda Giri (Haridwar), Mahamandaleshwar Swami Vishweshwarananda (Mumbai), Mahamandaleshwar Hansdas Maharaj (Haridwar), Mahant Dr Ramvilasdas Vedanti (Ayodhya), Mahant Kaushal Kishoredas (Ayodhya), Mahant Phuldolbihari Das (Vrindaban), VHP president Ashok Singhal (Delhi), and central secretary of VHP Rajendra Singh Pankaj (Delhi).
The memorandum urged the President: ?The properties of many families living in proximity to the western periphery of Ramjanma-bhoomi were left untouched at the time of acquiring the land for the premises of Janmabhoomi even as it was known that many of the families were unreliable. Now the lands must be acquired and appropriate security arrangements be ensured.?
The saints said that the devotees visiting Shri Ramjanmabhoomi should be allowed to have darshan-poojan according to traditions and they should be allowed to carry light worship material in a transparent manner. They also demanded appropriate arrangements for shoe-stands, cloakrooms, washrooms, drinking water, etc. ?All the open spaces on the Janmabhoomi premises need to be turned into imaginative and beautiful garden sites, flower and grass beds. Blueprints to this effect should be got prepared after thorough consideration. Today the place appears frightful due to wild vegetation, which also proves detrimental to security goals,? the memorandum added.
The saints stated that in spite of the mishap neither the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh nor any member of his cabinet paid an emergency visit to Ayodhya. ?It creates suspicion. According to our information, the daily expenditure for the security cover of the Ramjanmabhoomi is Rs. 30 lakh. Security barriers have been put up at all entry points to Ayodhya where everyone coming from outside has to undergo intensive security checks and even the inhabitants of Ayodhya have to pass through these checks. Despite this, how the terrorists armed with such a stockpile of weapons gained entry into Ayodhya, moved in town unobstructed, fence-crashed into Shri Ramjanmabhoomi complex and got to maximum proximity to Ramlalla?? the saints asked.
The saints alleged that the government, in the name of security, had turned the daily routine at the Janmabhoomi Mandir into a government office. ?The temple has its own tradition of offering worship, prayers, sacraments, rituals, etc. This orderliness must be observed very strictly. But it is continually being disregarded. The security forces compel the pilgrims to have only darshan with their shoes on. They are not allowed to offer their worship, because a ban is already there against carrying worship material?, the memorandum added.
The memorandum further said: ?The dense human habitation has close proximity to the western periphery of the Janmabhoomi premises. The barricading of the western periphery of the premises is at such a proximity to Ramlalla that any eccentric person can manage to cause a huge mishap. The authorities were urged several times over about the security concerns pertaining to the western portion, but it all fell into deaf ears and as a result the terrorists succeeded in attacking from that very vulnerable side. Near the premises there is a wall blocking the road coming from Dorahi Kuan in order to prevent the road from being used as a thoroughfare, but such to have been left on both sides of the wall that people virtually use it as a thoroughfare.? Here it may be recalled that no security personnel was on duty on tower 3 and 12 at the time of the terrorist aggression.
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