A day after Varanasi blast, Hindus and Muslims show united face

"We are worried over the blast in the religious city of Varanasi. Extremists are targeting the religious town to widen the gap between Hindus and Muslims... they want to demolish the communal harmony and Hindu-Muslim brotherhood to create an atmosphere of instability. We deeply condemn the inhuman act in Varanasi," Jamiat Ulema
Hind leader Afzal Ahmad Khan told PTI.

While a teacher Abdu Qaiyum said blasts in Malegaon, Ajmer and now in Varanasi prove that extremists are trying to instigate communal riots by targeting Muslims and Hindus separately.

Similarly, Hindu saints here condemned yesterday's blast which killed a child and injured 37 others. While protesting against the incident, they burnt an effigy of "Atankvaad" (terrorism).

Led by former MP Ram Vilas Vedanti, saints staged a protest in Ayodhya and condemned the Centre's "appeasement policy", which has led to spurt in terror activities by encouraging terrorists, VHP spokesman Sharad Sharma said. They also demanded immediate hanging of Afzal Guru, convicted in 2001 Parliament attack case, and Ajmal
Kasab, lone surviving terrorist in 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

A crowded bathing ghat was rocked a day after anniversary of Babri Mosque demolition on December 6. Mohammad Hashim Ansari, in the lone surviving petitioner in the Ayodhya title suit case, said "demolition of Babri Masjid that was done 18-year ago and the memories of that black day has been faded from our minds. Who are those who want to renew this wound? An unbiased enquiry must be done by some secular personalities."

Mufti Ubaidur Rahman, Imam of city Jama Masjid Sarai, said "Our brotherhood and Hindu Muslim unity is so strong that those communal or extremist forces want to break it cannot success. Government must act immediately to find out the real culprits."

Echoing demands of Muslim representatives, Sharma said "terrorists, who are inspiring such attacks, must not be spared as it is not in the interest of the country." He, however, regretted the parallels drawn between RSS and SIMI by Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and said Home Minister P Chidambaram's 'saffron terror' statement has actually encouraged the terrorists to carry out their activities.

Meanwhile, in protest against the yesterday's blast, the 'arti' was performed in a low-key manner at all ghats in Varanasi. At a meeting of puja committees held this afternoon, it was decided that a token arti would take place at all ghats for next three days, rather than it being a dazzling event.