Woman who gave shelter to 125 karsevaks including Kothari brothers during 1990 firing receives invitation

Aged 75 years, Om Bharati who was an eyewitness to the 1990 firing incident on Karsevaks in Ayodhya by the then Mulayam Singh Yadav government received an invitation to attend the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Ram temple on January 22.

Back in November 2, 1990, the then Mulayam Singh government ordered police forces to open fire on the Kar-Sevaks.

Om Bharati at the time of firing provided shelter to Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) former President Ashok Singhal and 125 karsevaks at her place.


"I am very happy that I will see the Ram Lala Pran Pratishtha ceremony. But I can never forget the blood, pain and humiliation of my KarSevaks. Their only demand was to install Ram Lalla in his place, but for his political gains, the then Chief Minister ordered opened fire on innocent karsevaks," Om Bharati told ANI.

While recalling the 1990' firing incident, she said that the karsevaks were shot one by one as they ventured out of her house. Kothari brothers who were killed in the firing also took shelter at Bharati's residence.

"Kothari brothers also stayed at my place and as soon as they came out of my house, they were shot and killed," Om Bharati said.

Om Bharati has credited Prime Minister Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi for creation of Ram Temple.

"Today these people (opposition) giving big statements on Lord Ram, who had never shown their faith on Ram. Due to the government of PM Modi and CM Yogi, Ram temple is being built in Ayodhya today, it is because of them all this has become possible today," Om Bharati told ANI.

Om Bharati slams Congress:
The eyewitness of the firing said that Congress was just a mere spectator to karsevaks killings.

"In Uttar Pradesh, the government did a lot of injustice to the karsevak. Congress also remained a mere spectator, did not provide any help and even when the matter went to court later. They tried their best to stop the construction of Ram Temple but did not succeed," she said.

Recalling the incident, Om Bharati said that the then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, ordered to open the firing on Karsevaks just to please his Muslim vote banks.

Mulayam wanted Muslim votes:
"Mulayam Singh Yadav did this for Muslim votes. The karsevaks were not doing anything, they were just sitting and chanting 'Jai Ram-Shri Ram'. There was no question of Hindu-Muslim. It must be Mulayam Singh's man who threw the stone from the rooftop. Why would KarSevaks have stones? The force should have had found the person pelting the stones but instead bullets were fired at the karsevaks," she said.

(with ANI inputs)