Saffron surge in Ayodhya gives locals jitters

AYODHYA: All roads in town are dotted with Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) hoardings exclaiming ‘Chalo Ayodhya’ and Shiv Sena’s call of ‘Pehle mandir phir sarkar’. Saffron flags, both VHP’s and Sena’s, flutter everywhere, on the roadside and kiosks under heavy police bandobast and drone cameras expected to keep hawk-eyed vigil on all movement and developments.

On Saturday, preparations were in full swing at Bade Bhaktmal Ki Bagiya, the venue of the ‘dharm sabha’. Supervising the activities, Mahant Kanhaiya Das, president of Ayodhya Sant Samiti, said: “Supreme Court says the issue is not on its priority. For us nothing is more important than Ram mandir.” Ayodhya mayor Rishikesh Upadhyay also arrived at the venue to take stock of preparations.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) threw its weight behind the Vishwa Hindu Parishad-led event once its chief Mohan Bhagwat pitched for a law to pave way for the Ram temple construction. RSS sources said hundreds of prant pracharaks were “involved in preparations.”


Locals are uneasy with the crowds, the sloganeering and are apprehensive. “All these activities are politically driven. People of Ayodhya are fed up of all this now,” said Vikas Pandey, a teacher.

“This is just a ploy to pacify the electorate ahead of Lok Sabha elections. Before people could ask any questions to BJP, the VHP has stepped in,” said Yusuf Afzal, a Faizabad-based journalist.