Haridwar, 17 October (H.S.): Former district panchayat chairman Rao Afaq Ali said Lord Ram was Imam-e-Hind and urged Indians to follow his ideals in their lives while attending a Ramleela programme as the chief guest at Suman Nagar in the Tehri Displaced Colony. He said merely raising slogans did not make someone a devotee of Lord Ram.

The Ramleela, which has been staged in the locality for the past 20 years, featured episodes in which Shurpanakha pressures Lord Ram to marry her, Lakshman cuts off her nose, and she approaches her brother Ravana in his court to urge him to take revenge.

Rao Afaq Ali and Congress leader Manoj Dhangar jointly inaugurated the stage by cutting a ribbon. Members of the Ramleela committee, including president Mastram Joshi, director Dinesh Lal, chief patron Mohan Singh Rawat and stage anchor Manish Rawat, welcomed the chief guest and other guests with garlands.

Other attendees included Pawan Pal, Sahil Qureshi, Chand Qureshi and Abid Gujjar.

Rao Afaq Ali said India had a long tradition of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. He said he had attended the Ramleela as chief guest for the past 20 years and described the residents of Suman Nagar as his family, adding that he would continue to stand by them in their joys and sorrows. He described the event as a strong example of Hindu-Muslim unity.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar