India: Hindu priests condemn Ayodhya incident, appeal for peace

http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/one-year-of-nirbhaya-rape-case-why-crimes-still-continue


Hindu priests condemn Ayodhya incident, appeal for peace

21 Dec 2013 05:12 PM, IST


Hindu priests condemn Ayodhya incident, appeal for peace

By Abu Zafar, India Tomorrow,

New Delhi/Ayodhya, 21 Dec 2013: As news spread about attack on a Muslim shrine and murder of a 22-year-old undergraduate student in Uttar Pradesh’s town Ayodhya last evening, several Hindu saints of the ancient religious town have come out condemning the incident and appealing to both communities to maintain peace and calm.

Acharya Satyendra Das, chief priest of makeshift Ram Janmabhoomi temple, Ayodhya termed the incident very sad.

“It is a very sad incident. I condemn it,” Satyendra Das told India Tomorrow.

He said that Hindus and Muslims live here peacefully and the shrine is respectable for both communities.

“Police is investigating the matter and I hope the guilty persons will be caught soon,” he added

About six unidentified men on Friday evening entered Jinnati Mosque and brutally killed moazzin (azan caller) who was a 22-year-old undergraduate student. Then the attackers barged into an ancient Muslim shrine housing a large grave which is popularly believed to be of Prophet Shis, and damaged the boundary wall of the grave. The slain youth Mohammad Danish hailed from Rohtas district of Bihar. He was the first year student of Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) at Shree Paramhans Shikshan Prashikshan PG College in Ayodhya.

Some Hindu priests see it as a political conspiracy for electoral gains.

Condemning the incident, Mahant Udar Das, president of Kabir Math in Ayodhya said: “It is a very unfortunate incident, I strongly condemn it. It may be a conspiracy to gain political mileage. I appeal to both Hindu and Muslim brothers to maintain calm and peace.”

Naga Damodar Das, priest of Hanumangarhi, said: “I don’t like violence any way. People are doing such things for political gain. Even whatever happened in 1992 was very sad and unfortunate. People from both communities must treat it gently.”

Talking to India Tomorrow earlier in the day, Faizabad Superintendent of Police Ram Sewak Gautam had said some people have been taken into custody for questioning. “We have detained some people for questioning in regard with the murder and attack on the shrine,” SP said.