Efforts to maintain communal harmony in Ayodhya gathered momentum ahead of the Supreme Court verdict in the Ram temple-Babri masjid title suits with both the Hindu seers and Muslim clerics appealing to their communities not to fall prey to rumours and maintain peace.
The imams (Muslim clerics) of various mosques in Ayodhya town and nearby places, in their addresses after the Friday prayers, asked the community members to take a vow to maintain communal harmony irrespective of whoever emerges victorious in the case.
"We must abide by the verdict of the supreme court... we should not fall prey to the rumours and maintain peace under any circumstances," said the cleric of a mosque in Ayodhya after Friday prayers. He also appealed to the community members to immediately inform the police if they came across any provocative message on social networking sites.
Hindu seers joined their Muslim counterparts in appealing for peace.
The All India Akhara Parishad (AIAP), an apex body of the Hindu seers in the country, on Friday said that it would abide by the apex court judgment in the matter.
"We have asked our member akharas and the seers to abide by the SC judgement," said AIAP president Mahant Narendra Giri.
Giri said he had also asked the seers to keep the celebrations a low key affair in case the verdict went in favour of the Hindus. "At the same time we must also make sure that no provocative statements are given by anyone in the event of an adverse judgement," the seer said.
Security arrangements in Ayodhya were tightened further on Friday. Barricades were put up on all roads leading to the makeshift Ram temple and no vehicle was being allowed to enter the area.
Checkpoints had been set up at all the entry points in Ayodhya and no one was being allowed in without extensive checking, sources said.