New Delhi, Oct 15: Changing tact, senior VHP leader Praveen Togadia today said the outfit's Ayodhya programme on Friday would be a peaceful affair but demanded that all Ram bhakts be allowed to reach the temple town unhindered. "If all the Ram bhakts, who have been prevented from reaching Ayodhya from across the country, were allowed to participate in the programme, we assure that it would be peaceful," Togadia told a VHP rally here.

"We do not spread violence," he said citing earlier programmes which were organised peacefully. Attacking the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government for preventing 'Ram bhakts' from reaching the temple town, he said visiting Ayodhya was a fundamental right of every devotee.

Togadia demanded that parliament enact a law for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. Referring to his verbal attack on Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Togadia said, "It was because of wounds on our back. Our heart pains and we do not know who inflicted those."

Bureau Report