BJP changes track, no chest thumping on Ayodhya issue

In an apparent bid to ensure communal amity ahead of the much-awaited supreme court verdict in the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid title suits, BJP, in a change of strategy, has warned the party leaders as well as the leaders of the other saffron outfits against chest-thumping on the Ayodhya issue.

UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who had himself while referring to the Ayodhya case, triggered a controversy by stating that the country would soon get a ''good news'', has asked his ministers not to make any comment on the issue.

Even deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, who, till the other day talked about building a grand Ram Temple on the disputed site at Ayodhya, asked his colleagues to ''abide by'' the SC verdict in the case.

''There should be no celebration in the event of a favourable verdict...we must also refrain from indulging in violence in case of an adverse judgement,'' said a senior BJP leader while speaking to DH here on Monday.

The state government has also asked the police and civil officials to take steps to instill confidence in the members of the minority community in particular.

According to the sources, the government was also in contact with senior Muslim clerics and had assured them that it was committed to follow the SC verdict in letter and spirit.

''We will not allow anyone to incite passion and disturb communal amity under any circumstances,'' said a senior UP minister here.

Sources said that the Adityanath government wanted to send the message that it was ''neutral'' and that it would abide by the SC verdict in the matter.

The directives seem to have the desired effect as there has not been any ''objectionable'' comment from the leaders of either the BJP or other saffron outfits.

Leaders from both Hindu and Muslim communities have been appealing to the people to maintain communal harmony and not to fall prey to the designs of the trouble mongers.