Pamphlet calling Ayodhya 'Ramjanmabhoomi' to be withdrawn

The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to withdraw a pamphlet of its tourism department because it describes the disputed Ayodhya site as 'Ramjanmabhoomi' (Lord Ram's birthplace). The description has kicked up a big row.

"This inadvertent error in a small guide-booklet on Ayodhya has caused us unnecessary embarrassment; so we are withdrawing it immediately," Uttar Pradesh Tourism Director General Avanish Kumar Awasthi told IANS.

"The concerned office responsible for the publication is also being taken to task," he said. "After all, since the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute was pending before courts, we have no business to make a statement like that."

"The booklet was published locally in Faizabad without the tourism directorate's approval," the official added.

What led to a hue and cry over the publication was the fact that it came out so close to the 17th anniversary of the demolition of Babri Masjid.

Haji Mehboob, one of the key petitioners in the legal battle over the site, has threatened to take the matter to court. "How can the administration issue such a booklet? It amounts to contempt of court," Mehboob told IANS over telephone from Ayodhya.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), which was largely responsible for pulling down the mosque Dec 6, 1992, however sees nothing wrong with it.

"Ever since 1935, the site has always been described it as Ramjanmabhoomi -- which is a matter of fact, so what is wrong if a local official publication puts that in black and white," local VHP representative Sharad Sharma said.

While the regional tourist officer has been served a show-cause notice to explain the faux pas, the director general (Tourism) has issued a circular banning all publications without the express approval of the directorate.

Significantly, the Ayodhya issue that has been dead for quite sometime has been hitting the headlines once again -- thanks to the recent publication of the Liberhan Commission report.

The report, which was tabled in parliament Nov 24, has indicted members of the Sangh Parivar for demolition of the 16th century mosque in Ayodhya. The vandalism and destruction had led to communal riots across the country.

Last updated on Dec 4^th, 2009 at 10:49 am IST--IANS