LUCKNOW: A grand namaz and a Holy Quran recitation session to be organised on the banks of Saryu river in Ayodhya on Thursday was cancelled at the last moment as the district administration did not allow permission to hold the event.
The event had to be organised by the Rashtriya Muslim Manch (RMM), an organisation affiliated RSS.
Around 1500 Muslim clerics were expected to take part in the event along with many Hindu devotees. The clerics had a plan to offer namaz at Nau Gazi Qabar in the temple town.
The district administration, however, allowed the namaz at Nau Gazi Qabar. While denying any involvement in the event, RSS' All India Prachaar Pramukh Arun Kumar took to twitter saying: "Media reports that RSS is organising Samoohik Namaz in Ayodhya are totally baseless and untrue," some local saints and seers also opposed namaz at Ram ki Pairi in Ayodhya.
Around 1,500 Muslim clerics were expected to participate in the event along with many Hindu devotees. The clerics will also visit around 200 mausoleums of Sufi saints in Ayodhya.
As per the initial plan the clerics ad to first perform 'wazu' (ablution) and then offer namaaz, following which verses from the Quran ha to be recited around 5 lakh times at Ram Ki Pairi Ghat on the banks of the river Saryu. The saints and seers were seemingly divided over the event.
While some came out in its support openly saying it would change Ayodhya's image of being anti-Muslim, the group backed by Mahant Raju Das and Dharam Sena leader Santosh Dubey claimed that it might disturb communal harmony of the temple town and also leave river Saryu 'apavitra' (impure ).
According to convenor of the Rashtriya Muslim Manch, Mahirdhwaj, the motive for the mass prayers was to strengthen communal harmony and peace among Hindus and Muslims despite the ongoing dispute of Ram Janmabhoomi and Babri Masjid.
Cabinet minister Laxmi Narain and RSS leader Murari Das were expected to be the chief guests at the event.