18, Oct 2015

Oct 19 2015 : The Times of India (Mumbai)
Arshad Afzal Khan
Faizabad (UP)
TNN
For 50-odd years, Mumtaznagar Ramli la here has exemplified inter community goodwill. Held in a Muslim locality , this Ramli la has been managed and largely enacted by Muslims For two years, however, Mu slims have been barred from playing main characters like Ram, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman. The reason: they eat meat.
“Some local people object ed to Muslims performing lead roles in Ramlila,“ said Majid Ali, president of the Ramlila committee. “Their objection was that since Muslims ea meat, they shouldn’t enact the role of gods. When we came to know about the objections, we eased them out,“ Ali told TOI. Baldhari Yadav, a senior member of the committee, said that during Ramlila, women spectators worship the actors playing Lord Ram, Lakhsman, Sita and other gods by touching their feet and seeking their blessings.