Mahant Bhaskar Das represented Nirmohi Akhara. Mahant Bhaskar Das represented Nirmohi Akhara. Mahant Bhaskar Das, the main litigant from Nirmohi Akhara at Ayodhya in Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title suit, passed away at 89 due to heart attack Saturday early morning, according to VHP leaders. Nirmohi Akhara is one of the claimants to the disputed site in Ayodhya and Mahant Bhaskar Das, its sarpanch, was representing them for past several years. Bhaskar Das was also the head priest of another Hanuman Garhi temple in Faizabad city and he was also sarpanch of Nirmohi Akhara. Das died at a hospital in Faizabad where he was admitted Friday evening. His last rites were performed at Tulsi Das Ghat near Saryu river in Ayodhya Saturday. “Demise of Mahant Bhaskar Das has saddened the saint fraternity across the country. He had been associated with Ram temple movement and also represented Nirmohi Akhara in Ram Janmabhoomi title suit case. I am hopeful that his successor Mahant Ramdas will replace him as litigant in the case and his wish of building Ram temple in Ayodhya will be fulfilled very soon,” said Ram Vilas Vedanti, senior VHP leader and ex-BJP MP. According to Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) office bearers in Faizabad, leaders of different political parties along with saints of different temples attended the cremation. VHP leaders said that Das was suffering with heart ailment for a long time. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BJP state president Mahendra Nath Pandey expressed condolence on the demise of Mahant Bhaskar Das. Pandey, in his message, said Das had dedicated every moment of his life to Ram Janmabhoomi and he had been active for the cause of title of the site for nearly 58 years. BJP MP from Faizabad Lallu Singh and party state general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak attended the cremation of Das and paid tribute on behalf of the party. Last year, in July, 96-year old Hashim Ansari, the oldest litigant in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title suit too had passed away in Ayodhya. When Allahabad High Court, in 2010, had pronounced verdict in Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri-Masjid title suit case giving verdict for three-way division of the disputed site among Sunni Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara and the party for ‘Ram Lalla’, Nirmohi Akhara was represented through Mahant Das. For all the latest Cities News, download Indian Express App

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