Local BJP leaders oppose Uddhav’s visit to Ayodhya

Lucknow: Even as the Shiv Sena gears up to make grand preparations for the first visit of its chief Uddhav Thackeray to Ayodhya on November 24 and 25, local BJP leaders have started opposing his visit.

The local traders’ body, which is known for its leanings towards the BJP, has asked the Shiv Sena leader for apologize for attacking north Indians in Maharashtra before coming to Ayodhya.

Janardhan Pandey, president of the Vyapar Mandal said, “Where was Uddhav Thackeray when Shiv Sainiks were raining blows on north Indians and chasing them away. Today he is coming to Ayodhya because he wants the votes of north Indians and this is not acceptable to us,” he said.

The trader leader said that if the Shiv Sena genuinely wanted the temple to be constructed, it should mount pressure on the Modi government because it has 18 MPs.

The Vyapar Mandal added that it would show black flags to Mr Thacke-ray if he comes to Ayod-hya and also asked the district administration to ban the Sena programme.

Meanwhile, Iqbal Ansari, a plaintiff in the Babri case, said on Wednesday that the Shiv Sena and VHP programmes in Ayodhya were designed to create a “scare” among minorities.

He said that both the programmes would focus on temple talk, conveniently ignoring the fact that the matter is subjudice and this would upset the Muslims.

He demanded security for Muslims in the district and warned that if the government did not provide the same, Muslims would leave their homes before the event.

DGP O.P. Singh, meanwhile, said that Muslims had no reason to worry and they were fully secure not only in Ayodhya but in the entire state.

The state police chief said, “I am not aware of what he has said. I have not seen the video. I am surprised if someone is saying so. He can come and talk to me. I will direct local officials to give security to him.”

He said he can assure people of the state that it was his responsibility to provide security to “23 crore people in the state” and he was committed to it.

“If anyone feels threatened, he can approach us or the local police. We will make arrangements so that he does not feel unsafe,” he said. The DGP said that not only communal incidents, but the police in the state had cracked many heinous criminal cases on priority.