Mumbai assault casts shadow on Babri anniversary

New Delhi, Dec 6 (PTI) Terror carnage in India's
financial capital Mumbai cast its shadow on the observance of
the 16th anniversary of the razing of Babri mosque Saturday as
Muslim groups staged low-key protests in sharp contrast to
high-pitched demonstrations witnessed in the past.

Subdued protests were staged in holy city Ayodhya in
India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, the scene of the
demolition of ancient mosque, and other states as a sombre
mood prevailed in the country.

To express solidarity with those killed in grisly Mumbai
terror attacks, some Muslim outfits had called for exercising
restraint asking its activists to desist from observing the
event as "Black Day".

"As decided earlier, we have not observed December six as
the Black Day today," Mohammad Younus Siddiqui, president of
All India Babri Masjid Rebuilding Committee, told PTI.

This was done to share grief of the shattered families
whose members were killed in mindless violence, he said.

However, Muslims hoisted black flags atop mosques, houses
and other buildings in some states as Hindu outfits vowed to
root out terror from the country.

In the backdrop of the Mumbai outrage, a multi-layered
security cover was thrown across the country to ward off any
terror strike during the day.