By Abdul Bari Masoud, MM News,
New Delhi: Peace activist and priest Yugal Kishore Shastri, who led the Sadbhavna Yatra from Ayodhya to Delhi, has demanded that strict action should be taken against the law-breakers and anti-nationals who are collecting stones for construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya as the matter is pending in the apex court and no one can allow to violate the law. He also warned that any-tinkering with secularism will be disastrous for the unity and integrity of the country while espousing socially representative character for the judiciary.
Speaking at a felicitation programme organized by the civil group ANHAD here on Monday on the completion of ‘24th Chishti Ayodhya-Dilli Sadhavna Yatra’ which reached Delhi yesterday after travelling 636 kms, Yugal Shastri briefed the media on the present developments in Ayodhya. He also termed the Hindu radicals’ renewed attempts to rake up the Ram Mandir issue as politically suicidal for the BJP in the next assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. He said collecting stones for construction of Ram temple is an attempt to polarize votes and disrupt communal harmony in the state but the VHP won’t succeed in it as people have now realized its bluff.
According to him, today there are few takers of Ram Mandir issue in Ayodhya whose overwhelming Hindu majority does not support Sangh Parivar and their leaders. Hindus living in the vicinity of the makeshift Ram Temple in Hanuman Garhi, Ayodhya outright reject their ideology. He maintained that Ram Temple issue raised by Sangh Parivar was just politics and to get power as construction of Ram Temple was never in their plan.
Yugal Shastri, who is a resident of Hanuman Garhi, Ayodhya and has been working for communal harmony for over 20 years, said Aydhoya, is symbol of composite culture and confluence of different faiths. He slammed the UP government’s move for developing only Hindu Holy places in Ayodhya. Development work should be carried out with a composite perspective as Ayodhya houses other faiths’ sacred places too, he added.
Yugul Shastri, who was an ex-RSS pracharak and left Sangh Parivar in 1986 when he realized the policies of the Sangh were anti Dalit, OBC and minorities, also critiised the government for not adhering secularism in letter and spirit. He pointed out that doing ‘Bhumi poojan, putting up photographs of Hindu idols in government offices all are against the secularism and henceforth this practice should be stopped. “When I was arrested and put up in a jail, I saw pictures of Hindu Gods hanging in the Jail superintendent office, I left Faizabad Press Club when a picture of temple was pinned there, he revealed.
It is to be mentioned here that Yugul Shastri’s home-cum-temple, which is at stone’s throw from the then Babri Masjid, was also attacked by karsevaks on December 6, 1992 when masjid was razed to ground by Hindu radicals under the alleged patronage of the State. He is an eyewitness to the demolition.
During his course of address to media, Shastri also raised the issue of miscarriage of justice saying those who are powerful get scot free. Referring many cases including the conviction of Lalu Prasad Yadav in fodder scam and Meerut-Maliana massacre verdict, he suggested that the judiciary should be made reflective of every segment of the society; otherwise people will lose faith in the justice system that will be catastrophic for the country.
Lauding efforts of Yugul Shastri, Prof Apoorvanand said the Babri Masjid was not a disputed structure; it was a living mosque before it was demolished, so it is misnomer to describe it as ‘disputed structure. He opined that Mandir-masjid dispute is a local issue and it should be resolved on local level. He said before resolving the dispute all should be punished who were involved in the demolition of Babri masjid as it was the most shameful, anti-national and unconstitutional act.
Speaking on the occasion, veteran journalist and Christian leader John Dayal also lamented that all the police stations in the country were turned into Hindu temples. If our country is a secular country then why the government follows one particular religion’s rituals in official business, he asked.
On the occasion, the 14 Yatra members were felicitated by Shabnam Hashmi, Dayal and Apoorvanand by presenting them mementos.
The Yatra started from Ayodhya went to Lucknow, Makanpur, Kannauj, Etah, and Aligarh and reached Delhi on Sunday.
As a Hindu I support construction of RAM TEMPLE but not in the disputed land.It is better not to use that land in religion purpose.If Government makes college or IT hubs in that area both hindus and muslims will be happy.