Ayodhya: Three concrete 'chulahs' (stoves) of 1934 and a part of a road emerged
during excavation at the disputed site opposite the make-shift temple in Ayodhya on
March 16, even as the district administration directed the local contractor to
engage Muslim labourers also for the task, following the objection raised by the
Waqf Board.
On the fourth day of the excavation on March 16, 58 labourers under the supervision
of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team led by superintending archaeologist B R
Mani dug up to one feet and three inches in six 4 x 4 metre trenches in the presence
of counsel and nominees of the contesting parties, sources said.
Three 'chulahs' (stoves) of the erstwhile kitchen of Ramanand Bairagi sect besides a
road, which led to the demolished structure emerged during the excavations being
carried out on the orders of Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court to ascertain
whether a temple existed beneath the demolished structure, they said.
Five experts from both sides were also present.
The floor of the structure, which surfaced in the first four trenches and in the
parts of the new trenches would be dug further only after obtaining necessary court
orders, they said.
Meanwhile, the Public Works Department (PWD) on the orders of the divisional
commissioner directed the local contractor Krishan Kumar Pandey to engage at least
five Muslim labourers for the exercise, after the Sunni Central Waqf Board raised
objections to the absence of Muslims among the labourers and demanded their
recruitment in equal proportions to Hindus.
PTI
