Namaz on Saryu bank cancelled

The much-publicised programme to conduct namaz, organised by the Rashtriya Muslim Manch, on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya on Thursday to pray for the construction of the Ram Temple was cancelled.

This was reportedly after the RSS "backed out" following protests from some seers.

According to sources, hundreds of Muslims associated with the Manch had gathered on a Saryu bank for the namaz but the organisers suddenly called off the programme without giving reason.

The Manch denied that there was any "pressure" to cancel the prayers. "We cancelled it on our own volition... there was no pressure," claimed a Manch office bearer in Ayodhya.

Sources in the Faizabad district administration, however, said that the organisers were told to cancel the event after a senior RSS functionary tweeted earlier in the day that the outfit had not organised the said program, as it was claimed.

Sources also said some senior Hindu seers had registered strong protest over the event and vowed to oppose it. Former Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Praveen Togadia had also opposed the event. Protests also came from some Muslim outfits.

The Manch had said around 1,500 Muslims would converge on the Saryu bank and offer prayers for removal of all obstacles in the way of the construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya to show that the Muslim community was not opposed to the temple.