We demolished Babri Masjid in seconds: Shiv Sena leader

Raising the pitch ahead of his party chief Udhav Thackeray's visit to Ayodhya on Friday and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) sponsored 'dharm sabha' on Sunday, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Rout on Thursday said that 'shiv saibiks' had ''demolished'' Babri Masjid within seconds on December 6, 1992.

The declaration by Shiv Sena leader triggered alarm bells in the local administration in the temple town even as several Muslim leaders demanded his immediate arrest for what they alleged ''inciting passion''.

''We had demolished Babri Masjid in 17-18 seconds... how much time will making a law for Ram Temple construction take?,'' Rout said while speaking to reporters in Ayodhya.

The Sena leader warned the opponents of Ram Temple and said that they would find it difficult to walk on the streets. ''There are many Rajya Sabha members, who will support the Bill for Ram Temple construction if it is brought by the government... those, who oppose it, will have difficulty in walking on the streets,'' he remarked.

Rout said that his party had always put the issue of Ram Temple over the government. ''For us Ram Temple is preferable to government,'' he added.

The Sena leader's reference to the demolition of the disputed structure triggered apprehension in the local administration as well as in the residents that Shiv Sena workers could also try to move toward the disputed area in large numbers.

''Sanjay Rout should be arrested immediately....his remarks are aimed at inciting communal passion,'' demanded Muslim leader Asim Waqar.  

Babri litigant Iqbal Ansari also expressed serious concern at Rout's ''provocative'' remarks and said that such statements could adversely impact communal harmony.

Sena sources said in Ayodhya that thousands of party workers would be reaching in the temple town to take part in Udhav's program here on Friday. Special trains have been booked to ferry Sena workers to Ayodhya from Maharashtra.