In Delhi, desperate efforts were being made to persuade an adamant VHP leadership to defer its Ram mandir programme, with only a fortnight left to go for the March 15 deadline. The government’s main fear was that a large gathering in Ayodhya could lead to untoward incidents like the breaking of barricades around the disputed site, which could have communal/legal consequences. The government clamped down on Ayodhya, sealing all routes to the temple town. The VHP’s cooperation was seen as crucial; while kar sevaks could be beaten into submission in Ayodhya, a call to satyagrah by the VHP could lead to countrywide conflagrations.