In Yogi Adityanath's Ram Temple Speech, A Veiled Swipe At Mulayam Yadav

The streets of Ayodhya won't echo with gunshots or witness curfew any more, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said at the grand consecration ceremony at Ram Temple this afternoon. The remark was a veiled swipe at Samajwadi Party patriarch and former Chief Minister, the late Mulayam Singh Yadav. Mr Yadav was the Chief Minister when at least 17 kar sevaks died in Ayodhya in incidents of police firing in 1990.

"Nobody will become a hurdle in Ayodhya's parikrama any more. Ayodhya's alleys will not echo with the sound of bullets any more. There will be no curfew. Now, Deepotsav and Ramotsav will be held. Ram kirtans will echo in the alleys because the establishment of Ram Lalla here today also marks the announcement of Ram Rajya," Mr Adityanath said while addressing the gathering after the consecration ceremony was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Incidentally, Mr Adityanath is the only BJP Chief Minister to attend the grand event and was also present inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple during the rituals.

His reference to the 1990 incidents was a veiled attack on the Samajwadi Party, the main opposition in the state now led by Mr Yadav's son and former Chief Minister Akhilesh Singh Yadav. Akhilesh Yadav, who was invited for the ceremony today, has said he would visit the temple later. Mr Adityanath's remarks also come against the backdrop of Opposition leaders, including Akhilesh Yadav, staying away from today's event.

What Happened In 1990?

The Ram Janmabhoomi movement had gained steam in the wake of the Rath Yatra led by BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani. At Ayodhya, the situation was heating up. As leaders of the BJP and Sangh Parivar started mobilising people, Mr Yadav had deployed force in large numbers. "No bird would be able to fly into Ayodhya," he had famously said then. On October 30, large numbers of devotees walked to Ayodhya after state police blocked bus and train services. The protesters clashed with cops on the road leading to the now-demolished Babri Masjid.

At one point, a sadhu took control of a security bus and drove through the barricades. The cops responded by chasing down the protesters and cracking down forcefully. Similar clashes took place on November 1 and a total of at least 17 people were killed in police firing.

The Aftermath

The Mulayam Singh Yadav government came under criticism for the police firing. In response, he called it a "painful, yet necessary" decision and referred to the high court ruling to maintain peace at the disputed site.

The next year, Mr Yadav lost the Assembly election and the BJP came to power. Kalyan Singh was named the Chief Minister and it was under his tenure that the Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992.