96-year-old Karsevak Shalini Dabir recalls memories of Babri structure's collapse

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 7 : 96-year-old Karsevak Shalini Dabir, who actively took part in the Ram Mandir movement in the 90s, has been invited to the consecration ceremony of Lord Ram at Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22.
Dabir is specially invited to attend the historic event scheduled to take place in the holy city.
Recalling the memory of the collapse of the Babri structure, she also recounted her memories of how she was 'compelled' to be locked in a school as the jails were full.
Dabir, who was 63 then, reached Ayodhya, walking 60 km, and witnessed the waving of saffron on the Babri structure after reaching Ayodhya on October 30, 1990.
Dabir, who hails from Maharashtra and left Mumbai in 1990 for Kar Seva.
"There were bullets firing at the Karsevaks, and the police tortured us the most... The UP Police arrested a group of women karsevaks from Dadar and placed them on school premises. I was locked in a school as the jails were full," she said.
She also claimed that she not only experienced lathicharge but also tear gas and firing around her.
She claimed that a bullet had just gone past her.
"The person next to me died with the bullet," she added.
Shalini also said, "After many efforts, a wall was not falling, then a monkey sat on that wall and everything turned to dust because he had applied pressure to the wall and it collapsed."
"After the collapse of the Babri structure, a man belonging to the Muslim community came and offered sweet, saying, 'You people have now got what you wanted'. I also wanted to give him some sweets but I couldn't find him after that," Dabir said.
She further expressed her happiness over the construction of the Ram temple.
"Now that Ram is coming back to Ayodhya, I am very happy. Now the Ram temple has been built, everything will be good, everyone will benefit," she said.
Further, she also expressed her gratitude to the Central government for the same.
"There is a huge contribution from Narendra Modi and his government, due to which the temple has been built today," she said.
She also showed her disappointment over her inability to walk due to old age.
"The sad thing is that my legs are not working and I will not be able to walk," she added.
Preparations are underway in full swing for the Ram Temple inauguration on January 22, which will draw dignitaries and people from all walks of life.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend the installation of the idol of Ram Lalla at the grand temple on January 22. Preparations are underway in full swing for the event, which will draw dignitaries and people from all walks of life.
The Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust has decided to enthrone Ram Lalla at the sanctum-sanctorum of the Ram Temple at noon on January 22.
Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Rama, holds great spiritual, historical and cultural significance for the people of India.
The trust has also invited 4,000 saints of all sects for the ceremony.
Vedic rituals for the Pran-Pratishtha (consecration) ceremony of Ram Lalla (infant Lord Ram) in Ayodhya will begin on January 16, a week before the main ceremony.
A priest from Varanasi, Lakshmi Kant Dixit, will perform the main rituals of the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla on January 22. From January 14 to January 22, Ayodhya will mark the Amrit Mahautsav.
A 1008 Hundi Mahayagya will also be organised, in which thousands of devotees will be fed. Several tent cities are being erected in Ayodhya to accommodate thousands of devotees, who are expected to arrive in the temple town of Uttar Pradesh for the grand consecration of the Ram Temple.