Decades have passed since the Ayodhya firing incident and the subsequent massacre of Karsevaks but the scars remain fresh for Bharat, especially for crores Hindu devotees across the world. The history of the Ram Janmabhumi Movement is incomplete without mentioning the brutal episode of the Ayodhya firing in which Mulayam Singh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party butchered hundreds of Karsevaks.
The Uttar Pradesh police fired live ammunition at unarmed Karsevaks on two separate days, October 30 and November 2, 1990. According to some reports, the police at the behest of Mulayam Singh Yadav, the then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh started firing at the Karsevaks who were sitting on the road in protest and singing bhajans. Many people died from head wounds. The firing also triggered stampedes at the Sarayu Bridge in which a number of Karsevaks lost their lives.
According to the state government’s official records report, 16 people were killed, but the actual numbers were in hundreds! The martyred Karsevaks were denied proper Hindu funeral rites. The police dumped many dead bodies into the Saryu River in sacks; many dead bodies were buried instead of being cremated.
Media suppressed the brutal Hindu massacre
Unfortunately, the mainstream media and the political parties have conspired to brush the brutal massacre under the carpet. In 2019, Republic TV, in a sting operation, revealed that innumerable Karsevaks were slaughtered by the Police in 1990 under the Mulayam Singh government and the government also faked the death toll, which was bigger than what was actually recorded.
“Dekhiye jo mare the log, toh desh ke patrakar aaye the, DM SSP kahe ki jaye SHO se baat ki jiye, toh bakeyde camere-vamera liye voh baat kar rahe toh, toh woh sunejo statement jo government ko dya gaya that usme 8 aadmi gunshot injury se dikhaye gaye the aur 8 aadmi gunshot injury se mare, aur 42 ghayal dikahee gaye the. Samjhte hai”, said VB Singh, a senior Uttar Pradesh police officer who was then the SHO at the Ram Janmabhoomi police station. VB Singh had disclosed that ‘the massacre was really of “countless” Hindus, rather than of 16 people.’
Among the martyrs were the Kothari brothers from Kolkata, Ram Kothari and Sharad Kothari. Aged 22 and 20, Ram and Sharad Kothari were Swayamsevaks of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh. Responding to the clarion call of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad for Karseva, the brothers reached Ayodhya. Later, the bullet-ridden bodies of Kothari brothers were found in a lane near the Hanuman Garhi temple on November 2, which is very close to the Janmabhumi.
On October 22, 1990, among the sixty-nine members, who were departing for Ayodhya, Ram & Sharad Kothari led the troop. Both were very hard-working, daring, & renowned members of RSS. They kept their heads tied with a saffron-coloured cloth, which at the back read “Kafan”, throughout the journey. After departing from Kolkata, their group had to stop at Benaras. As the railway was barred from going further, they took a taxi to Kolapur. From their, they had to walk nearly 200 kms, to reach Ayodhya!!
Finally, they reached their destination on October 30, at 4 a.m. Lathi charge, tear gas, bloodshed all came in their way, but nothing could stop them! The troop lead by the two brothers was the first to enter the premises of RAM JANAM BHOOMI TEMPLE, and hosted the flag, and marked an event in the history.
After the heroic victory, they still had the urge to do something more for their religion, for their bhagwan, for their country! For this reason, they returned to Ayodhya from Faizabad on November 2 and tried to voice their cause in RAMDHUNI KIRTAN. But the administration blindly opened fire there at unarmed, defenceless, innocent religious followers, killing hundreds. In this incident, even the two leaders got shot dead. The lane where they laid their lives in Ayodhya started being called as SHAHID MARG.
This way on November 2, 1990 these legends set an example of bravery & patriotism and their contribution to the motherland.
At their death, their dress had a photo of VISHWA HINDU PARISHAD, and their heads were covered with coloured cloth, on which “JAI SHREE RAM” was engraved on one side & at the back side “KAFAN” !!
‘My brothers’ sacrifice is not in vain,’ says Purnima Kothari
“My brothers sacrificed their lives for motherland. They happily embraced death for the sentiments of Hindus, for Ram Lalla. But unfortunately, even after so many years, the temple is yet to be build. People forgot us. Some time I question myself, was it a wasted martyrdom,” Purnima Kothari, sister of Ram and Sharad, told a reporter.
“The two could only reach Varanasi by train after which they took a taxi and later walked till Ayodhya. The atmosphere was surcharged. I am told they were the first to hoist the saffron flag on top of the Babri dome,” Purnima Kothari told a news agency.
Kin of Kothari brothers invited for August 5 event in Ayodhya
Paying rich homage to the sacrifice of the Kothari brothers, two members of the Kothari family -Purnima Kothari and her niece Yashashwini Kothari – have been formally invited by the Trust to attend the August 5 ceremony, which will mark the formal beginning of the Ram Temple construction work in Ayodhya.
“We wanted to invite more Karsevaks. But due to pandemic we have only invited local Karsevaks and Purnima Kothari, sister of Kothari brother of Kolkata,” said Champat Rai, general secretary of the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust.
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