'They bring 5 lakh, we'll bring 25 lakh': SDPI provokes demanding Babri Masjid reconstruction at Ayodhya

In a fresh bout of communal politicisation on the Ayodhya dispute, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) on Monday demanded that the government 'abide by its promise to rebuild the Babri Masjid', and announced that it would hold a big rally in New Delhi on December 6 to agitate for this demand.

Through a press briefing and a statement, the SDPI has condemned the RSS and affiliates, including VHP and Bajrang Ral, and also attacked the Shiv Sena over Uddhav Thackeray's recent Ayodhya visit. Calling it a 'deliberate attempt to terrorise the people of India to press for the construction of Ram Temple by hook or crook bypassing the judicial proceedings',  the SDPI relied on two factors -- the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict allotting a third of the land for the construction of the Babri Masjid and former Prime Minister Narsimha Rao's 'promise to the community on the day of the Babri Masjid's demolition that it would be reconstructed at the same place.'

Challenging the recent inflow of pro-Mandir groups to Ayodhya for various reasons, the SDPI also threatened that 'if they can gather 5 lakh people, we can gather 25 lakh'. Further remarking on the goings-on at Ayodhya, the SDPI said:

"Ayodhya mobilisation involves several hundred crore of rupees with tremendous inconvenience to the people in East Uttar Pradesh and thousands of frightened residents had to move away from their homes fearing violence from provocative sloganeering mobs roaming in Ayodhya and Faizabad streets." Accordingly, the SDPI has demanded that the government "should recover the cost of all police and other arrangements from the organisers for creating such a situation."

Calling the RSS a "right wing radicalised group", the SDPI put forth that it had become evident that the country may see chaos and anarchy in the times to come.

After naming a number of persons in its criticisms, including PM Modi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, the SDPI concluded:

"The SDPI expresses its satisfaction that Hindutva groups' malicious attempt to break law and order in Ayodhya has failed and proved to be a flop show by the so called Ram Bhakts as they could not mobilise the desired size of mob and the day passed off peacefully".

The SDPI's provocation comes amid an already heightened atmosphere vis-a-vis the Ayodhya issue, with the Supreme Court's decision to deprioritise the hearings in the related title dispute compelling Mandir-backers to seek the government's legislative intervention, or an ordinance, to pave the way for the Mandir's construction. The Shiv Sena, meanwhile, has also dared its ally BJP, rallying around the idea of 'Pehle Mandir, phir Sarkar' (First Mandir then mandate).

Here is the release by the SDPI -