Demolition of Babri Mosque and aftermath

babri masjid                                

“It may be pronounce that they will not construct a temple at the disputed site because this issue had have assisted BJP to polarise people for electoral purpose

Demolition of the Babri Mosque in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992 by mob is considered as black day for Indian democracy. After Babri Mosque demolition period no election has gone in India that has passed without reference of construction of Ram Mandir at the disputed site. Leaders of the BJP party have been rhetorically polarising the people of Hindu Muslim community for the purpose of vote bank politics. After 2010 Allahabad high court’s verdict in which the court declared that disputed land would be equally portioned among the three parties, Sunni Wakf Board, The Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

This decision to portion out the land to three different groups witnessed the gradual and substantial decline of Muslim faith in Indian Judiciary. After the 2012 UP Assembly election post-poll survey it has been found that less than one third of Hindus & Muslims demanded only a temple and Mosque at the disputed site respectively. But in 2016 survey there has been a sizeable increase in the percentage of Hindus (49%) who said that only temple should be built at the disputed site. Whereas only (28%) Muslims had said that only mosque should be constructed at the disputed site. In the earlier surveys conducted by LSDS in which opinion of Muslim community regarding construction of only mosque was almost equal to Hindu community.

This declining percentage of Muslim community after 2016 does not mean that their faith on Indian secularism has changed & they  have become more secular but it clearly shows that they have lost faith on whole political setup of country in general and judiciary in particular. BJP minister Uma Bharti said that “she is ready to be hanged for building Ram Temple at the precise spot where the Babri Mosque stood”. Not only Uma Bharthi but Recently RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said that “only temple will be built in the disputed site” he further added “it is not a populist declaration but a matter of our faith. It will not be changed.” His remarks are seen as a rebuke to a spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar who has appointed himself as a mediator between Hindu-Muslim groups. BJP ministers not stopped here they even have said that Supreme Court can’t pronounce judgement on Ram Temple because this is matter of our faith. Ostensibly, this is sheer contempt of court. It was same BJP which has celebrated recent judgments of Supreme Court on Triple Divorce, Section 377 and many more. These statements undoubtedly witness that the RSS & the BJP government are committed to the construction of Ram Temple at the disputed site. It may be argued that it is now quite easy for them ‘to construct a temple’ at the said site keeping in mind that both at the centre as well as in the state the BJP is in power.

Although, BJP has been misusing the sentiments of the people & exploiting their faith before every election. BJP has also been continuously using appeasement politics for electoral purpose. It may be pronounce that they will not construct a temple at the disputed site because this issue had have assisted BJP to polarise people for electoral purpose. Not only leaders of the Right wing but even leaders of so called secular parties like AAP have made controversial statements. Recently education minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia said that on the disputed site a university should be built instead of Temple or Mosque. If this happen then it would be a sheer injustice to Muslim community because Apex Court of India had not allowed charged mob to demolish Babri Mosque. Supreme Court of India has said several times that Babri Mosque demolition is a ‘National crime’ that has shaken social fabric of the society. In this milieu, it would be a challenging job for Supreme Court to give a balanced decision for both Hindu and Muslim community to keep the social fabric of the communities unharmed as well as to restore lost faith of Muslim community on judicial system of the country.

 Zulafqar Ahmed Tantray, doctorate fellow at the department of political science Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Email: [email protected]

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