Low-key Shaurya Diwas in Ayodhya on Babri Masjid demolition anniversary

AYODHYA: December 6, celebrated as Shaurya Diwas here, is likely to be a low key affair on Saturday with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad too keeping development ahead of mandir.

VHP leaders told TOI on the eve of the 22nd anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition that the new government at the Centre should get to kick off its development agenda and then push for the Ram Temple plan. On Saturday, every house and temple here will be decorated with diyas.

VHP functionaries explain that that the idea to mark Shaurya Diwas by remembering the demolition of the Babri Masjid structure is to ensure that people, especially the new generation, is made aware of the "historic event".

"The idea is to keep the temple movement alive," said VHP's Kendriya Marg Darshak Mandal member Pawan Shastri.

To mark the occasion besides holding Hindu Sammelan, several locals, maths and temples would also light diyas in the evening, said VHP leaders. At the end of the sammelan, seers and saints will give a call to those present at Karsewakpuram to light diyas in the evening to observe Shaurya Diwas.

"Those who were born on or after 1992, when the structure was razed down, would also be aware about the Ram Temple movement because of shaurya diwas only," said VHP spokesperson Sharad Sharma.

While the tradition of observing Shaurya Diwas, will continue, the issue of constructing a grand temple will not figure prominently in the discourse. "Seers and saints believe that the Modi government should be given at least two years to fulfill the promises of development on which they won the Lok Sabha election," said Sharma.

VHP functionaries say that the government will then be in a position to bring a Bill on the construction of Ram Temple.

Even prominent BJP leaders and national VHP functionaries have decided to stay away from Shaurya Diwas.

The Hindu Sammelan would be addressed by chairperson of Ramjanambhoomi Nyas mahant Nritya Gopal Das and seers like Mahant Kaushal Kishore Das. If health permits, Jagatguru Ramanujacharya would also attend the sammelan, Sharma said.

Around 2,500 invitation cards have been printed this year. Some seers and saint would narrate the Ram temple movement stories for over two hours and would leave.