The Vishwa Hindu Parishad's much-hyped call to observe as 'Shaurya Divas' [Victory Day] the tenth anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid turned out to be a flop show, with an all-time low turnout of volunteers in Ayodhya on Friday.

Less than 500 people, including 100-odd sadhus, attended the 'Hindu Dharam Raksha Sammelan'. Locals kept away and among those who sat through the two-hour session were many women who had come from two neighbouring districts on a routine pilgrimage.

The chief of the Ram Janambhoomi Nyas, Mahant Ramchandra Das Paramhans, and VHP leader Onkar Bhave tried to make up for the thin attendance by flaying Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his deputy Lal Kishenchand Advani. Each time they trained their guns at the two leaders, the crowd applauded.

"We had no plans of calling a big crowd," Paramhans claimed. "Every time we give a call for a major demonstration in Ayodhya, the government and the state administration makes the lives of local people miserable by imposing unnecessary restrictions, which affects their normal lives. I did not want that this time," he added.

"The construction of the proposed temple will commence in the next 18 months. And let me assure you that the task will be accomplished without any violence or bloodshed," he said amidst cries of ‘Jai Shri Ram'.

Bhave said Advani was a "coward" when it came to tackling terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Successive governments have only indulged in appeasement of Muslims..." Bhave said, adding, "that is the reason we are not able to build a temple at the birthplace of Ram."

It was only Mahant Nritya Gopaldas, the vice-president of the RJN, who maintained sobriety. Gopaldas, who was at the forefront of the movement until the VHP hijacked it, stressed on the need for dialogue between Hindus and Muslims.

He said, "We must sit across the table and reason with the Muslims. I am sure they will agree to hand over the birthplace of the revered Hindu god.

"I appeal to the Muslim community to come forward and extend help in the construction of the temple."

Divisional Commissioner R M Srivastava looked content at the end of the day. "We are glad that the day passed off peacefully without a single untoward incident. Perhaps, it is something that has never happened on this day over the past decade," he said.