VHP, Nyas say no to Ashwamedh Yagya

LUCKNOW: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas has distanced themselves from the Ashwamedh Yagya being performed in Ayodhya by the Vishwa Vendanta Sansthan, a Delhi based organisation.

The four-day Yagya began on Saturday in Ayodhya. Large number of seers from all across the country are attending this yagya that is being conducted near Hanuman Gufa in Ayodhya for construction of Ram Mandir. Mahant Anand Das is organising the yagya.

The VHP had organised Dharma Sabha in Ayodhya on November 25 in which thousands of people from all across the state took part. The saffron outfit has also planned Dharma Sabha in New Delhi on December 9.

According to sources, the organisers wanted Karsevakpuram as venue for the yagya, but senior leadership of the VHP refused.

“The VHP and the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas have nothing to do with the event. We are not organising it,” said Sharad Sharma, regional spokesperson, VHP. Sharma, however, said the VHP welcomed all such organisations that were making efforts for construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

The VHP has also planned a nine-day event starting from December 18 to mark 26th anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid.

Its decision to organise the event from December 18 coincides with Gita Jayanti, the day on which disputed structure was demolished in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. Till now, the saffron organisation had been organising ‘Shaurya Diwas’ on December 6 every year to mark the anniversary of the demolition of the disputed structure.