The Hindu Sena, a right-wing outfit, defaced the signage of Babar Road just two days before the grand ceremony of the Ram Temple consecration in Ayodhya. Activists from the group placed a poster with the inscription “Ayodhya Marg” on the vandalized signage.
Vishnu Gupta, the president of Hindu Sena, explained the motive behind the act, stating, “We have been demanding for a long time that the name Babar Road should be changed.”
Earlier this month, on January 8, the Hindu Sena submitted a letter to the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) requesting the renaming of Babar Road to Ayodhya Marg. Gupta expressed strong sentiments in the letter, asserting that Babar had tortured Indians, forcibly converted Hindus, and demolished monasteries and temples.
An official from the NDMC responded to the incident, stating, “We are in the process of removing the poster, and we will be filing a police complaint regarding the matter.”
The incident comes amidst the ongoing seven-day Vedic rituals leading up to the consecration of Lord Ram at the Ayodhya temple. Today marks the fifth day of these rituals, which include the cleansing of the sanctum santorum with holy water from the Saryu river, ‘Vaastu shanti,’ and ‘Annadhivas’ rituals.
The week-long ceremonies will conclude on January 22 with the pran-prathistha ceremony, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to preside over the ceremonial installation of Ram Lalla.
