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Meanwhile, senior RJD leader Rabri Devi dared the BJP to go for temple construction at Ayodhya, following the demand made by right-wing organisations like RSS and VHP to take the ordinance route ignoring the Supreme Court's order.
She slammed the BJP on the Ayodhya issue saying its nothing but their "poll gimmick" during election time.
“So, I will visit Ayodhya on Monday, and I will carry a copy of the Constitution with me. I will also meet the district magistrate, and remind him that the rule of law should be ensured, and things should not be allowed to get out of hand.”
“In such a scenario, it seems Akhilesh is disappointed with the police and has demanded deployment of Army there. Government will be responsible for communal tension, if any.”
He also said that heavy deployment of CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces), PAC (Provincial Armed Constabulary), ATS (Anti-Terrorism Squad) has been done.
“Drone cameras are being used to assess the crowd. Thirteen parking spots have been designated, 2,000 buses from various places have come to Ayodhya,” he said.
He also spoke about information that the police had received about an attack on Ayodhya.
“We received an alert by the IB (Intelligence Bureau) a few days back, it was a non-specific alert. Action is being taken. People from intelligence agencies under state, government and centre have been deployed there and are monitoring the situation,” he said, reported ANI.
“The mobilisation you see today, is just from 45 districts of Uttar Pradesh. Some intelligent people of this country need to be reminded that the issue of Ram temple didn’t end on 6 December 1992,” Rai said.
“Everyone's going there due to elections. Who stopped Uddhav Thackeray from going there in past 4-5 years? On one hand, they're friends with BJP and on the other they want to tell people they're interested in constructing Ram Temple and are pressurising the government. People won't be fooled,” Congress leader M Kharge said.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Sunday disapproved of the Shiv Sena's push for constructing a Ram temple here, saying the party had no role in the temple movement.
Maurya's remarks came a day after Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray asked the BJP-led NDA government to declare a date for the construction of the Ram temple.
"There is no problem in Uddhav Thackeray catching a glimpse of Ram Lalla... But, had Balasaheb Thackeray been alive, he would have prevented Uddhav from doing whatever he is doing,” Maurya told PTI on the phone.
“The Shiv Sena had no role in the temple movement or even in the Dharam Sabha, though Balasaheb Thackeray would support the Vishwa Hindu Parishad,” he said.
He said Uddhav Thackeray should take the VHP, "which is leading such a large-scale movement, along with his party. There is no point creating a divide".
"If you (BJP) had to go to a court (on the issue of Ram temple), then you shouldn't have raked up the matter in your election campaigns and manifestos. You should have clearly said that 'bhaiyyon aur behno’, please forgive us; this is yet another jumla by us. I have come to tell you not play with the sentiments of Hindus." said Thackeray in Ayodhya.
Thackeray also went on to say that he was upset that the temple had not been built yet, asking when it would finally come up. He further urged for the construction of the temple.
“Saints who blessed me yesterday, I'd told them that the work which we're about to begin can't be done without their blessings. I've no hidden agenda in coming to Ayodhya. I've come to express sentiments of all Indians and Hindus across world. All are waiting for the Ram Temple”, said Thackeray at the media interaction.
“The issue of building a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Ram at his supposed birthplace in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, breeds communal tension because this alleged birthplace is the location of a 16th century mosque, the Babri Masjid.... The establishment of the Ram Temple has been a favourite electioneering agenda that the current government has repeatedly used to mobilize votes and stir anti-Muslim sentiments among Hindu masses.”Statement
Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said that the campaign by VHP and Shiv Sena is an attempt to "nullify the provisions relating to secularism in the Indian Constitution". "We strongly oppose this effort to subvert the judicial verdict on the Ayodhya dispute. The Sangh Brigade cannot be allowed to subvert the Constitutional provisions in the name of faith," he said, reported News18.
“There's enough law & order machinery available. I'm quite sure the govt being that of BJP, unlike other parties, will ensure that law and order is maintained”, said MoS MEA, VK Singh on Akhilesh Yadav's statement that 'Army should be brought in Ayodhya if required’, reported ANI.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has returned to the hotel after visiting the Ram Lalla temple earlier on Sunday, 24 November, reported ANI.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and son Aditya have left to pray at disputed Ram Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya, reported News18. Shiv Sena supporters are present in large numbers as the Thackerays are set to arrive at the site.
“We’ve made all the arrangements for the programme. We’ve allotted spaces for parking, bypass is running smoothly and we’ll ensure it stays like that. ‘Darshan’ will be from the usual routes. We’ll do everything in an organized way”, said DIG Ayodhya, Omkar Singh regarding the event of the day in Ayodhya, reported ANI.
UP CM Yogi Adityanath on Saturday called for a meeting with the director general of police (DGP), principal secretary home, ADG (law and order), and other officials at his residence to discuss the Ayodhya issue, reported ANI.
“First say when will you construct the temple, the rest we will talk later,” he said in what sounded like a dare to the BJP government ahead of next year's Lok Sabha elections.
“The promise of constructing the temple was given in each election; the temple, however, has not yet been created despite those talking about it being in power at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh. Lord Ram has gone into exile in Ayodhya itself. This is the biggest betrayal. Those who came to power being Ram devotees have turned into Kumbhakarna.”Saamana editorial, as quoted by PTI
The Muslim litigant in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit, Iqbal Ansari, on Saturday said he was satisfied with the security arrangements in Ayodhya ahead of the VHP 'Dharam Sabha', but questioned the intention of the leaders in bringing such large crowds to the town.
"If anyone has any issue on the matter of temple-mosque, he/she should go to Delhi and Lucknow to express their views," Ansari, who succeeded his father late Hashim Ansari as the main litigant in the case, told PTI.
"They can gherao the (Uttar Pradesh) Vidhan Sabha or Parliament if they want but leave the people of Ayodhya in peace," added Ansari as he cast aspersions on the intentions of those encouraging people to gather at the temple town and "posing problems" for the locals.
The security around Iqbal Ansari’s house has been increased, with the road leading up to his house being sealed.
उद्धव ठाकरे के लक्ष्मण क़िले पर होने वाले प्रोग्राम से पहले सारी तैयारियाँ पूरी कई साधु संत पहुँचे,सम्मान और आशीर्वाद समारोह होना है यही पर उद्धव ठाकरे संतो को सम्बोधित करेंगे @QuintHindi @TheQuint pic.twitter.com/BEXub9bzUy
— rounak kukde (@rounakview) November 24, 2018
Referring to the firing on unarmed karsewaks in 1990, Maurya said, "If Akhilesh Yadav is thinking that a 1990-like situation will prevail, then this will not happen under the government headed by Yogi Adityanath. We will provide adequate security to all and take all necessary action."
"This is a ‘Dharam Sabha’, and there is no need to deploy the Army, and Akhilesh Yadav must understand this," the UP deputy Chief Minister said.
Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Saturday, 24 November, said people have lost patience as they want the early construction of the Ram temple. Ramdev, during a brief with news agency ANI, said a law needs to be brought in ‘else people will start building the temple on their own’.
“I believe there is no opposition to Ram in the country. All Hindus, Muslims and Christians are his descendants,” said Ramdev.
Vinay Katiyar, the founding president of Bajrang Dal and BJP leader, on Saturday said the government "can’t do anything" regarding the Ram temple since the matter is in the Supreme Court.
Katiyar, who was speaking to news channel ABP, claimed the government should bring in an ordinance for the early construction of the Ram temple.
Calling the Congress party as the ‘biggest hurdle’, the BJP leader alleged that the Congress is halting the construction of the temple.
Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar during a brief with news agency, ANI alleged that despite the imposed Section 144 in Ayodhya, the state administration is letting people gather in large number, implying that it has failed.
Backing the claims of Samajwadi Chief, Akhilesh Yadav, Rajbhar said that the army should be deployed to Ayodhya for safety measures.
“Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is interested in election campaigning when section 144 is imposed in Faizabad (Ayodhya). The kind of crowd that has gathered there... its responsibility will lie with the CM,” he said.
“To divert attention from their failures, they raised the Ram Mandir issue. Had their intentions been good, they (BJP) needn't have waited five years. It's their political tactic and nothing else. Whatever their associates like the Shiv Sena and the VHP are doing is part of their conspiracy,” she said.
Mayawati further alleged that the BJP, who will complete five years at the Centre, is playing 'the Ram temple card' due to the approaching Lok Sabha polls in 2019.
Over 1 lakh RSS workers and 1 lakh VHP workers will be heading towards Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, ahead of Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray’s visit to the disputed site of Ram Janmabhoomi.
Contingents of sadhus and seers are also expected.
According to reports, VHP organisers have claimed that they are preparing three lakh food packets for Sunday’s event where Hindu far-right workers, sevaks and sainiks are being brought together for a massive and belligerent show of strength months before the Lok Sabha election of 2019 in a big push to the BJP government at the Centre to move on the Ram
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday left from his residence in Mumbai.
He will reach Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya today for a two-day visit. VHP and Shiv Sena will hold separate events in the city tomorrow over the matter of Ram Temple.
Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray will be visiting the disputed site of Ram Janambhoomi in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, on Saturday, 24 November. He is expected to discuss early construction of Ram Temple, Hindustan Times reported.
Thackeray will perform a maha aarti on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya at 5 pm and hold a press conference later.
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