Babri demolition: Bandh call evokes mixed response

Hyderabad, Dec 6 (INN): The 'Black Day' called to protest the demolitions of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya passed off peacefully even as the bandh call given by various Muslim organisations and some political parties to mark the tragic event's 18th anniversary evoked a mixed response in Hyderabad on Monday. Shops and business establishments in areas dominated by Muslim population remained shut while markets in Hindu dominated areas were open, though less crowded than usual.

The bustling cloth markets in Pathergatti, Patel Market, Charminar, and the bangles stores in Lad Bazaar remain closed. Apart from these areas the labyrinth of lanes and by-lanes in the old city also wore a deserted look with very few vehicles plying. Many of the educational institutes in the old city had announced a holiday in view of the bandh call given by the Majsli-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and the Majlis Bachao Tahreek, apart from religious organisations to symbolically protest against the demolition of the Masjid.

Muslim dominated areas of the city like Tolichowki, Mehdipatnam, Asifnagar, Nampally, Mallepally, Malakpet, Santoshnagar, Chandrayangutta, Barkas were also shut down while the most areas across the Musi saw virtually no impact of the bandh call except for lesser number of vehicles on the road, compared to other working days. The MIM and MBT, apart from Muslim organisations which had called for the bandh had also appealed to non-Muslim peace-loving and secular citizens for support in pressuring the government to rebuild the Masjid.

Earlier, the city police had put in elaborate security arrangements in place with Police Commissioner AK Khan announcing the imposition of Section 144 in the city from 6 am on December 5 till 6 am December 7.

Mr Khan had also announced that 30 platoons of APSP, RAF and city police would be deployed to meet any untoward situation. The city police had also banned making of any speeches, gesture or displaying pictures, symbols, placards, flags which are likely to create religious animosity between communities. The police chief had also said that some known trouble-mongers have been taken into preventative custody. The city police's enhanced security measures, as compared to previous years, were taken in view of the recent verdict of the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janambhoomi dispute.