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Excavation begins amid tight security

By J.P. Shukla

Labourers on their way for excavation work at the disputed site in Ayodhya on Wednesday. — PTI

FAIZABAD MARCH 12. Excavation work began a little after noon today near the disputed Ramjanmabhoomit-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya as directed by the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court to see whether or not a temple had existed where the mosque was built by Mughal King Babar later.

A team of the Archaeological Survey of India, which has been asked to conduct the excavation, first marked the spots to be dug up in the presence of representatives of the litigants and the local administration. An area measuring four by four metre has been selected for digging four trenches. The area lies in the vicinity of Ram Chabutara in front of the makeshift temple constructed after the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6,1992. The entire area where excavation started has been covered by specially erected tents as ordered by the so that nothing is visible from outside.

According to court directive, the media is not allowed to watch the digging. Also, there would be no press briefing on the progress of excavations.

Representatives of some of the litigant parties have reached Ayodhya. Those who have already come to witness the excavation include lawyers Madan Mohan Pandey and Vireshwar Dwivedi and archaeologists Swaraj Pal and Sudha Malaviya, all representing the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and Jafaryab Jeelani and Abdul Mannan, advocates representing the Central Sunni Waqf Board. A historian from Delhi has also come to represent the Waqf Board while another from Aligarh is to arrive soon. Also there is Ranjit Lal Verma representing the Nirmohi Akhara.

A large number of journalists and photographers has descended on Ayodhya but they have little to do except collect bits of information from whatever sources they could tap. They can watch the goings-on only from the outskirts of the acquired land.

There is no ban on "darshan" of Ram Lala in the makeshift temple.

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