Thank God, It's Over

In the end, it passed off peacefully.

After much tension and the build-up over the last few weeks, and variousposturings since the Supreme Court gave its unequivocal judgement, the RamJanmabhoomi Nyas president Mahant Ramchandra Das Paramhans finally performed thecontroversial shila daan at the Digmaber Akhara in Ayodhya today.

VHP working President Ashok Singhal and BJP MP Vinay Katiyar were also partof the religious ceremony. Amidstunprecedented security and chanting of 'Jai Sri Ram' by a couple of hundered RamBhakts, two sacredcarved stones, the shilas, for the proposed Ram Temple were handed overto Shatrughan Singh, in-charge of the Ayodhya Cell in the Cabinet Secretariat,who had flown down specially as the Central obsever on VHP request, after abrief puja at 3.30 pm (IST), one hour 15 minutes behind schedule.

In a last-minute change in programme, the spot for the symbolic offering wasshifted to Paramhans' Akhara as senior police officials felt the situation inthe city was volatile and could go out of control.

The Akhara is 600 metres away from Ramkot mohalla, the original site forthe shila daan and a kilometer away from the acquired land.

'Prophets of Doom'

As expected, the VHP later said the acceptance of a carved pillar by theCentre's special representative at Ayodhya was a clear indication of theGovernment's acknowledgement in principle of the demand for construction of Ramtemple in the disputed land.while the BJP claimed that it had proved the "prophetsof doom" wrong.

"The Government's assurance to the country and Parliament that it willabide by the court order has been fulfilled. Ayodhya is peaceful proving theprophets of doom wrong," party spokesman V K Malhotra told reporters here.

He charged the Opposition with trying to whip up communal passions and saidthere were attempts by some who did not want the event to pass off peacefully toprovoke certain sections to vitiate the atmosphere.

Defending the handing over of "Shila Daan" to Government receiver,Malhotra said this was also a method of offering prayer.

Welcoming the role played by Kanchi Shankaracharya, he said he hoped theKanchi Seer and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board would continue to play arole to resolve the Ayodhya tangle.

'Contempt Of The Constitution"

CPI-M today charged the government with supporting the temple issue atAyodhya by calling it a "contempt of the spirit of the court and a contemptof the constitution".

''People should not have been allowed to go to Ayodhya. I fear the mostominous incident is going to happen soon when 'shila' will be donated to theCommissioner of Faizabad who will take it on behalf of a statutory receiver'',Party spokesman Somnath Chatterjee told reporters.

He said this would also involve additional expenditure for the government asit would have to deploy security and other paraphernalia for the shila after itis received. ''How can the official of a secular government go for thepurification ceremony'', Chatterjee said adding that this should not take placein a pluralistic society.

Describing it as "pandering to religious fanaticism", he said PrimeMinister's statement that court orders will be complied with in letter andspirit "sounds hollow".

'The Struggle Will Continue'

Earlier, the procession started at 1.40 pm from Karsevakpuram, led by two flower bedecked cycle carts carrying two concrete slabs for the proposed temple accompanied by Vedic Brahmins, who chanted mantras.

Children, women, aged and infirm accompanied the sacred stones which were greeted with 'aarti' all along the three-km- route.

At the start of the procession, Ashok Singhal declared "our struggle will continue till Ram Janmabhoomi, Kashi Vishwanath temple and Krishna Janmasthan are liberated."

Uneasy Calm

Earlier an uneasy calm prevailed in the pilgrim town whichresemblesd a city under siege -- an impregnable fortress with the administrationthrowing a thick security blanket around it to prevent VHP from carrying out its'shila daan' programme later today.

All roads leading to Ayodhya wore a deserted look andsecurity personnel were still busy checking each and every vehicle to prevent any'karsevaks' from sneaking in.

An undeclared curfew appeared in force in the twincities of Ayodhya and Faizabad with all shops and other establishments remainingclosed following a directive from the district administration.

Security personnel had virtually sealed off the VHPcampuses in Karsevakpuram and Ramsevakpuram as well as the workshop where itsleaders, including international working president Ashok Singhal and RamJanmabhoomi Nyas president Mahant Parmhans Ramachandra Das were staying.

Softened Stand

The Mahant had yesterday threatened to end his life byconsuming some chemicals if he was prevented from proceeding to offer a 'shila'(carved stone) at 1415 hours. Singhal has extended full support to the Mahant'sprogramme.Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel in their blue dungarees maintaineda strict vigil outside the VHP workshop where he is staying.

The Mahant conducted a routine 'havan' this morning atthe workshop. Faizabad Senior Superintendent ofPolice Prabhat Kumar, while appealing to the Mahant not to take any extremestep, said the police would be forced to arrest him if he insisted on his 'shiladaan' plan or threat to end life but has now said on Friday morning thathe would abide by the Supreme Court order and would donate the shila(carved stone) outside the acquired land.

The change in plans followed intense negotiations on behalf of the Centre andthe VHP and RJN leaders that went on till late on Thursday night. Home MinisterL K Advani, Defence Minister George Fernandes had also spoken to the Mahant onThursday persuading him not to take any extreme step.

The services of Bajrang Dal leader and BJP MP Vinay Katiyar were alsoutilised to negotiate with the Mahant.

With the Supreme Court putting its foot down on any kind of religiousactivity in the whole of 67 acres of acquired land around the disputed site, itbecame clear that the plans to conduct a religious ceremony in the acquired landwere impossible.

District Commissioner A K Gupta, who is also thereceiver for the acquired land, told PTI that he would accept the 'shila' fromthe Mahant provided it did not violate the Supreme Court directive or theprohibitory orders in force in Ayodhya and was carried out outside the acquiredland.

Government emissaries had met the Mahant yesterday topersuade him not to take any extreme step, while Home Minister L K Advani andDefence Minister George Fernandes had tried to convince him on the issue overphone.

Another senior VHP leader Acharya Giriraj Kishore hadwarned that demonstrations and dharnas would be held across the country tomorrowif the administration arrested the religious leaders in Ayodhya. Founderpresident of Bajrang Dal and Faizabad MP Vinay Katyar reached here late lastnight.

The apex court had yesterday ordered that no puja orreligious ceremony should be conducted on any land vested with the CentralGovernment in the temple town.

Security personnel last night carried out searches invillages neighbouring Faizabad district and patrolled Majha area along riverSarayu to flush out karsevaks if any amidst report that they might make attemptsto sneak in.

An estimated 15,000 personnel of CRPF, RAF, PAC andstate police are deployed in the town to prevent any untoward incident.

The paramilitary forces had staged a flag march hereyesterday as a show of strength.

About 50 karsevaks were arrested when they tried toenter Ayodhya chanting slogans today, police said.

Giriraj Kishore, Two BJP MPs Among 31 Arrested

VHP vice-president Acharya Giriraj Kishore and two BJPMPs were among 31 people arrested near Lucknow this morning while they wereproceeding to Ayodhya, police said.

Besides Chinmayanand and Brij Bhushan, both MPs, theothers arrested while proceeding in cars included senior VHP leader ShirishChandra Dikshit.

The arrests are being called "preventive" innature in line with the government's policy not to allow large gatherings inAyodhya. Kishore and others were arrested when they sat on a dharna on the roadafter they were stopped from proceeding to Ayodhya, police sources said. Theyhave been taken to a private guest house near Chinhat, sources added.

Shortly before commencing his road journey to Ayodhya,Kishore said the group was embarking on the trip in a "peacefulmanner".

"We have only one slogan. We will go to Ayodhyaand build a temple there," he said. Askedwhether he got the permission for this purpose, Kishore shot back "We donot need any permission. It is our birthright.