The Hindu : Ahmedabad rath yatra peaceful

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 13, 2002

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Ahmedabad rath yatra peaceful

By Manas Dasgupta

The Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, (centre) waves during the Jagganath yatra procession in Ahmedabad on Friday. The former Chief Minister, Keshubhai Patel is to his left. — AFP

AHMEDABAD JULY 12. The Gujarat administration, police and the people heaved a sigh of relief as the 125th rath yatra of Lord Jagannath ended peacefully in Ahmedabad today after passing through the sensitive traditional route amid unprecedented security. Reports said that the yatra was also peaceful in Bhavnagar, the second most sensitive city, Vadodara, and other major centres of the State.

The yatra, however, was not without hiccups. Even after a night-long combing operation in different parts of Ahmedabad, in which pistols and live cartridges were recovered and five persons arrested in the Dariapur locality, police continued to search sensitive areas before the "rath yatra" commenced and seized five local-made "rocket launchers,'' nine country-made guns, 12 live cartridges, 20 bombs and other equipment in Shahpur and arrested 10 persons, who the Crime Branch said, "belonged to some suicide squad.''

Responding to the appeal of police authorities, the route along the yatra was not only reduced to one-third, but the temple trust also ensured that the yatra was completed in time, with all the three main chariots returning to the temple before sunset. Normally, the rath yatra ends around midnight.

Steps were also taken to ensure that there was no provocative slogan-raising during the yatra, particularly in the minority-dominated localities. Blaring of loudspeakers, and playing of religious or patriotic songs along the 14-km circuitous route also helped submerge any slogan shouting. Besides large-scale deployment of police and para-military forces, including personnel of the Rapid Action Force, the Border Security Force and the Central Reserve Police Force, hundreds of plainclothesmen mingled with the crowd, keeping a strict vigil.

While many families belonging to the minority community in Dariapur, Shahpur, Jamalpur and other sensitive areas deserted their homes in the last few days, those who had no place to go stayed indoors in response to the appeal by the Muslim leaders to observe a self-imposed "janata curfew.'' The rooftops of the buildings on the two sides of the narrow lanes, through which the rath yatra passed, were occupied by police to guard against any disruption. A senior police officer, however, claimed that the desertion of homes by the minorities along the yatra route was not uncommon though the percentage of those who left for other places this year was comparatively high.

The rath yatra, flagged off by the Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, and some other members of his Cabinet, at the Jagannath temple at 7 a.m. was received as usual by the leading citizens, Muslim leaders and members of the Communal Harmony Committee under the leadership of the Congress Mayor, Himmatsinh Patel, at the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation premises.

Even as the yatra was in progress, Muslims offered their Friday prayers at the Jumma Masjid and other mosques all over the city, including those on the yatra route.

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