With the day of the verdict of the controversial Ayodhya land dispute coming closer, the political leader across the country have come up with the appeal to the people to maintain peace and harmony in the country. The different parties came up with the same voice, leaving out their ideologies behind.
The Ayodhya verdict is expected to be released by the Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi-led bench before November 17. With the view that the decision might cause disturbance in law and order situation, the security has been beefed up in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.
The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the Union Ministers to be measured in their statements on matter related to Ayodhya.
In the latest edition of his “Mann Ki Baat” radio programme on October 27, PM Modi had recalled how the government, political parties and civil society prevented attempts to create fissures when the Allahabad High Court ruling on the disputed land in Ayodhya was to be delivered in 2010.
Read: ‘Avoid unnecessary statements’: PM Modi’s diktat to ministers ahead of Ayodhya verdict
Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said that “People of our country have full faith in Supreme Court and its verdict will be welcomed by everyone. I appeal to one and all to not entertain or ignite rumors. This is the time to exercise restraint and exhibit our values of brotherhood between communities.”
It is to be noted that Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was one of the members of the mediation panel to resolve the Ayodhya land dispute, appointed by the Supreme Court.
In two different tweets in Hindi, the Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati appealed to the citizens to respect the decision of the apex court. She also said that it is the duty of the central government as well as state government to provide security to the people ahead of the upcoming SC verdict.
1. अयोध्या प्रकरण के सम्बंध में मा सुप्रीम कोर्ट का फैसला आजकल में ही आने की संभावना है जिसको लेकर जनमानस में बेचैनी व विभिन्न आशंकायें स्वाभाविक हैं। ऐसे में समस्त देशवासियों से विशेष अपील है कि वे कोर्ट के फैसले का हर हाल में सम्मान करें यही देशहित व जनहित में सर्वोत्तम उपाय है
— Mayawati (@Mayawati) November 7, 2019
2. साथ ही, सत्ताधारी पार्टी व केन्द्र एवं राज्य सरकारों की भी यह संवैधानिक व कानूनी जिम्मेदारी बनती है कि वे इस खास मौके पर लोगों के जानमाल व मज़हब के सुरक्षा की हर प्रकार की गारण्टी सुनिश्चित करें और सामान्य जनजीवन को प्रभावित न होने दें।
— Mayawati (@Mayawati) November 7, 2019
The pro-Hindu BJP leader and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath asked his ministers to refrain from making any controversial statements ahead of the SC verdict on the Ayodhya land dispute.
The UP government had also issued strict guidelines disallowing people from posting misleading and offensive posts on social media to avoid hurting sentiments of any community.
Read: Ahead of Ayodhya verdict, UP govt issues guidelines, no offensive posts on social media
The National Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar said that Communal harmony should be maintained, no matter what the decision of the apex court is going to be. He said some forces may try to take advantage of the situation and create fissure among communities.
The ruling-BJP has also instructed its spokespersons and social media departments to not to make any provocative or controversial statement on the Ayodhya verdict.
A meeting of all the party’s spokespersons, media and social media departments was organised to brief them about refraining from making any unnecessary statement on the Ram temple issue.
At the meeting, BJP social media head Amit Malviya also briefed the social media teams of the party on how to prevent controversial statements on such platforms.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has cancelled all its official functions for the month of November with the view of upcoming SC verdoct on Ram Janam Bhoomi dispute. It has also asked its workers to cancel all their touring schedule, ahead of the verdict.
RSS which a flags the agenda of Hindutva in the country, has always been involved in any of the communal activity going across the country. It has always voiced heavily for the creation of Ram Mandir at the disputed site.
An important meeting of top brass of the RSS, scheduled between October 31 and November 4, was also cancelled due to the upcoming Ayodhya verdict.
In a tweet on October 31, by the RSS official Twitter account, the RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Arun Kumar said,” The Supreme Court is expected to deliver its verdict on Shri Ramjanambhoomi case in next few days. Whatever be the verdict, everyone should accept it with open mind”.
— RSS (@RSSorg) October 30, 2019
The litigant of the Ramjanambhoomi case, Muslim parties resolved to maintain peace and harmony at all cost after the verdict in the Ayodhya case. The meeting was organised in a closed door convened by Navaid Hamid president of the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat.
The Muslim clerics are also being involved in maintaining peace. A meeting of the imams of over 500 mosques in the district, it was suggested that they should appeal to people after the namaz, especially Friday namaz, to accept the verdict and maintain peace.
Read: Ahead of Ayodhya verdict, Muslim clerics appeal community members to maintain peace
Security beefed up, Article 144 imposed
A full-fledged preparation in being done by the Uttar Pradesh Police ahead of Ayodhya verdict. The police vehicles are being repaired and armoury is being inspected to ensure that there are no last-minute glitches.
The security of other cities of UP is also tightened as directives have been issued by the police headquarters to police chiefs in 34 communally sensitive districts including Meerut, Agra, Aligarh, Rampur, Bareilly, Ferozabad, Kanpur, Lucknow, Saharanpur, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Bulandshahr and Azamgarh.
With the aim to prevent any untoward incident, Section 144 till December 28 has been imposed in the holy city of Ayodhya. The violation of the order will invite prosecution under section 188 of the IPC.
The District Magistrate of Ayodhya has issued directives prohibiting people from making defamatory remarks against any religion, community, deities, eminent personalities on social media. The authority has also banned any media debates and has imposed restrictions on people gatherings.
The capital of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal is also on high alerts as the Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) has been imposed there as well.
The Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police OP Singh has also made it clear that the police won’t hesitate to book offenders on social media under the National Security Act (NSA), if they caused a law and order situation in the view of the SC verdict on Ayodhya.
Daily hearings in the politically-sensitive Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute in Ayodhya ended on October 16 amidst high drama by the concerned parties in the Supreme Court.
The daily hearing on the matter commenced on August 6. Fourteen appeals have been filed in the top court against the Allahabad High Court order, which partitioned the 2.77-acre disputed land equally among Sunni Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
The apex court began daily hearings after a court-appointed panel failed to find a solution through mediation.