UP Minister demands Army deployment in Ayodhya

An Uttar Pradesh Minister on Saturday said that the Army should be deployed in Ayodhya to control the situation in the temple town.

Om Prakash Rajbhar, President of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), broke ranks with ally the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Expressing concern over the congregation of Shiv Sainiks, VHP cadres and RSS workers in the temple town for the 'Dharam Sabha' slated for Sunday and the arrival of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, the Minister said that he endorsed the views of the Samajwadi Party (SP) chief and former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav who demanded that the Supreme Court should issue an order for Army deployment in Ayodhya.

"I welcome the statement of Akhilesh Yadav and support his call for deployment of the Army," Rajbhar said.

He also inquired how hundreds and thousands of people were entering Ayodhya while Section 144 was clamped in the temple town.

"The police and the district administration seem to have failed in maintaining law and I feel time has come for the deployment of the Army," the Minister said.

Rajbhar drew criticism when he said that seers were doing drama about the Ram temple as "it was their bread and butter".

--IANS

md/ksk/bg