Babri masjid anniversary peaceful

By Our Staff Reporter

COIMBATORE, DEC. 6. Amidst tight security and intensive patrolling by police and student volunteers, the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition day passed off peacefully in Coimbatore district on Wednesday.

At the Coimbatore Railway Junction, where security had been strengthened at all the entry and exit points, passengers stood in a long queue to pass through a door frame metal detector, and also have their baggage checked.

There was a brief flurry of activity at the Railway Junction, when police spotted a large, abandoned suitcase on one of the platforms. After suitable precautions were taken, the suitcase was opened, but was found to contain only clothing and other personal belongings.

Some newspaper offices received messages from anonymous callers, warning about explosions, and stating that there was danger from parked cars. However, these turned out to be hoax calls.

Tiruchi

The day passed off peacefully without any untoward incident. The TMMK members took out a rally and held a demonstration at Singarathope this morning. Police had made elaborate security arrangements to maintain peace. In the neighbouring Karur, Perambalur and Pudukkottai districts too, the day passed off peacefully. Police put in place elaborate security arrangements and all vehicles entering the city from Chennai, Madurai, Thanjavur, Karur and Pudukkottai were thoroughly checked.

Round-the-clock pickets were also posted at Srirangam Ranganathaswami temple, Thiruvanaikoil Jambukeshwarar Akilandeswari temple, Woriyur Vekkaliamman temple, Rock Fort Vinayagar temple as also at mosques and other places of worship.

Madurai

Mass prayers and protest rallies marked the incident-free day in Madurai and the southern districts of Sivagangai, Virudhunagar, Theni and Dindigul.

Special ``protest'' prayers were also offered in almost all mosques atop which black flags were found to have been hoisted. Members of Indian Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam organised special prayers in a mosque in South Veli street, while the TMMK, after offering prayers, took out a silent protest rally to urge the Government to hand over the disputed site at Ayodhya to Muslims. TMMK volunteers from Theni district also took part in the agitation.

The members also staged a demonstration in front of the Head Post Office at Scot Road. Police made elaborate security arrangements for the day. The areas surrounding Meenakshi temple were cordoned off and the entry in all directions had been restricted. Almost all the temples were given protection. Protest rallies and demonstrations also were held at Virudhunagar and at Ilayankudi in Sivagangai district.

Tirunelveli

It was an ``incident-free'' day in Tirunelveli district too. Police sources said the Muslims of Eruwadi, Panpozhi, Shencottai, Vadakarai and Tulukkarpatti hoisted black flags and black banners on their house tops. A majority of the shops and business establishments in the Muslim dominated towns of Melapalayam, Kadayanallur, Pottalpudur, Eruwadi, Shencottai, Kallidaikurichi remained closed for the whole day.

Buses did not ply inside the Melapalayam town and the auto- rickshaws too were off the road. All the educational institutions in Melapalayam, except a couple of Corporation schools, declared holiday today.

A large number of Muslims participated in a demonstration organised by the TMMK in front of the Corporation premises here this evening urging the Government to take steps to reconstruct the Babri Masjid and demanding the resignation of the Union Ministers who have been chargesheeted by the CBI in the demolition case.

The members of the Tamilaga Muslim Aikkiya Jamath held a day-long dharna near the Palayamkottai busstand. The Aikkiya Jamath volunteers had organised a similar agitation in front of the Big Mosque in Kadayanallur town today.

Tuticorin

The anniversary was observed peacefully in Tuticorin district, according to police sources. As many as 700 persons took part in a procession organised by the TMMK, from the Ambedkar statue to Cruz Fernandes statue on the Palayamkottai Road. A meeting was also held to condemn the demolition.

About 150 shops on the arterial WGC Road in the port town and over 350 shops at Kayalpattinam remained closed. Black flags were hoisted at some places in the town.

Nagercoil

Barring minor incidents of stone pelting at Thuckalay and Chunkankadai near here, the TMMK rally passed off peacefully.

Even as the members were assembling in front of the Sir C. P. Ramaswamy Iyer park here, a maxi cab carrying the TMMK supporters was reportedly attacked by some unidentified miscreants at Thuckalay, and in retaliation the latter allegedly damaged a State-run bus at Chunkankadai. They later reached the venue.

The rally led by Mr. J. S. Rihai, State secretary, traversed various parts of the town including the arterial Chettikulam Junction, Xavier Junction, Meenakshipuram, and finally culminated at the Tower Junction where a protest meeting was held.

Ramanathapuram

The day went off peacefully in the district. Around 800 TMMK activists

staged a demonstration infront of sub-post office near Chinnakadai in Ramanathapuram. The agitation was led by Mr. M.K.Ansari, president of State youth wing.

Around 150 members belonging to the Tamil Nadu Muslim United Jamad staged a dharna at Sayalkudi.

All shops and commercial establishments run by Muslims remained closed in Ramanathapuram, Pamban, Mandapam, Vedalai, Abiramam, Periyapattinam and Devipattinam. Police reportedly removed the black flags which had been hoisted in more than 20 places in and around Sayalkudi and one place at Abiramam.

Nagapattinam

TMMK volunteers took out a procession from near New Busstand to the head post office where a demonstration was held. No untoward incident was reported in the district, police said.

Vellore

The anniversary passed off peacefully in Vellore district. TMMK members took out a silent procession in Vellore demanding the reconstruction of the Masjid, while the Hindu Munnani volunteers organised a meeting in Thottappalayam urging the need for construction of the Ram Temple at the disputed site.

About 1,000 TMMK volunteers led by Mr. Alaudeen, State deputy general secretary of the party, took out a silent procession from the Fish Market to the HPO. Later addressing the gathering, Mr. Alaudeen said the TMMK would not rest until the Masjid was constructed in the same place where it existed. He also said that the party would never allow the Ram Temple to be constructed in the disputed site.

Earlier, Mr. C. Gnanasekharan, Vellore MLA, inaugurated a protest demonstration organised by the Tamil Nadu Muslim United Jamath, Vellore district, in front of the Gandhi statue.

Six persons who were found moving about in suspicious circumstances in Deter Line here early today were taken into preventive custody.

Cuddalore

Over 2,500 TMMK volunteers took out a silent rally and also held a demonstration. In Villupuram, hundreds of volunteers, carrying placards, took out a procession from the Railway Junction to the HPO.

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