Hindutva triumph is categorical: 'Ram is India and India is Ram' ?

Hindutva triumphs ! No one responsible for mosque demolition ?

The old polity fails as India's march toward Hindu majoritarianism accelerates

In India, a multi-faith and multi-language country, secularism took a beating on Dec. 6, 1992, when Hindu zealots demolished the Babri Masjid. They argued they were undoing the act of 16th-century Muslim ruler Baber, who built it after razing a temple at the spot in Ayodhya town, the birthplace of their Lord Ram in present-day Uttar Pradesh state.

In a democratic country, politicians' freedom and power are defined by the constitution and, of course, their ability to be credible. After a special court ordered the acquittal of hardline Hindu leaders from a conspiracy charge of bringing down a 16th-century mosque in 1992, most opposition leaders went silent or were guarded in their reactions.

Starting in the 19th century, there were several conflicts and court disputes between Hindus and Muslims over the mosque.

Of course, none other than BJP's 'Hindutva mascot' of 1990s L K Advani had to bear the political responsibility of bringing down the mosque. As Leader of the Opposition in Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha), Advani took high moral ground and had resigned. The BJP governments in Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan were dismissed by the Congress government in the centre.

In 2001, during an interaction, L K Advani had admitted while the Ayodhya Movement was neither a mistake nor a failure, the demolition of the Masjid was a 'failure'.

In fact, he had quoted RSS leader Raju Bhaiya and said the Sangh fountainhead had said three things after the demolition. - Firstly, the demolition ought to be condemned. Secondly, it is against the ethos of the Sangh Parivar and thirdly the demolition actually had brought a damage inflicted on the cause of the Ayodhya movement.

These three lines, Advani said - in effect fully reflect what is "our feeling those who are (were) totally identified with the Ayodhya Movement".

Advani also made a significant observation. "Till today frankly I do not know whether it was a mob fury.. and the mob going out of control or a small determined group which did not agree with the leadership (that Babri structure should not be harmed physically and by force)". 

Advani with Blogger 

Following the demolition, Hindu-Muslim riots followed in which some 3,000 people died. Advani, as leader of the opposition in India's parliament (Lok Sabha), took the moral high ground and resigned. The Congress party, which was running the government in New Delhi then, dismissed BJP governments in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Fast forward to Sept. 30, 2020: Advani and a host of other hardline BJP politicians were acquitted by a special court that heard the conspiracy case.

Call it the irony of history, but this time the BJP runs the government in New Delhi. On Nov. 9, 2019, the Supreme Court ruled that Lord Ram was born in Ayodhya and that a grand Ram temple should be built at the very spot where the disputed structure stood.

However, the court said the demolition of the mosque was an "egregious violation of the rule of law". The word "egregious" means outstandingly bad and shocking.

But on Sept. 30, 2020, another court in Lucknow ordered the acquittal of all 32 accused, including Advani. This was so despite a 2009 government commission headed by former judge M.S. Liberhan holding the BJP leaders responsible for the demolition.

With the Supreme Court verdict in November 2019 favoring the Hindus and now the acquittal of all accused, the dispute has perhaps come to an end.

Of course, some Muslims are definitely not happy. Vocal Muslim leader and lawmaker Asaduddin Owaisi based in Hyderabad said: "All these leaders … and others got fame in politics due to this Ayodhya temple movement. Our masjid was sacrificed ... You destroyed me and this helped your politics, and today you are being given a clean chit."

"What lesson are you giving to those who believe in the rule of law?" he asked.

Meanwhile, Hindu leaders have openly claimed they demolished the mosque. In a 2019 video that went viral, BJP parliamentarian Pragya Singh from Bhopal openly admitted being part of the crowd that brought down the mosque.

"I do not deny it. I demolished the structure. I will go there and help in the construction of the Ram temple. Nobody can stop us from doing that. Lord Ram is the nation, and the nation is Lord Ram himself," she said while answering a question in the run-up to the 2019 general election.

In 1992 itself, the late Bal Thackeray, then chief of the regional Hindu nationalist Shiv Sena party, said: "I am proud of my partymen if they brought down the mosque."

After the verdict, veteran BJP leader M M Joshi was delighted at the end of such a long trial and said, "Jay Jay Ram....(Victory to Lord Ram; he should bless all with right thinking)". 

Joshi's suggestion is that the matter has finally ended and it should bring an end to the centuries old dispute.

ironically, Shiv Sena now headed by Bal Thackeray's son Uddhav runs a coalition regime in the province

along with Congress party and another state-based party.  

Not only Ms Pragya had won the Bhopal seat in 2019 defeating Congress stalwart and a former Chief Minister,

 Digvijaya Singh; the polls last year saw a huge mandate in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and 

his open 'pro-Hindutva' politics.

Among the minorities - Christians and Muslims - Modi's re-election meant "more than a turning point" in India's 

political history.

BJP leaders, however, say the verdict on Wednesday and the Supreme Court ruling make it clear

that there was 'no conspiracy' to bring down the structure.

"A popular movement for the Grand Ram Temple culminated in the destruction of the structure on a disputed 

piece of land at Ayodhya. Spontaneity with strong popular belief triumphs the truth," said BJP lawmaker Vinay

Sahasrabuddhe. 

 

Others say the dispute should end as all issues have been settled.

"There is an old saying law will take its course. Finally the court has acquitted BJP leaders including Mr Advani. 

This should bring to end all controversies and such an old historical dispute.

The court order endorses our stand, the BJP leaders and millions of workers are never part of any conspiracy, "

says Virendra Sachdeva from BJP's Good Governance cell.  

Of course contrast this with Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury's tweet - which read -
"A complete travesty of Justice. All charged with criminal conspiracy to demolish Babri Masjid acquitted.
Is it self imploded? The Constitution Bench headed by then CJI had said that demolition was an “egregious”
violation of law. Now this verdict! Shame".

Another Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Mohammed Salim even has attributed motive to the court verdict and said - "when will the judge get promotion".

This is a highly controversial remark but makes some sense as the Modi regime has nominated former Chief 

Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi as a member of Rajya Sabha, upper House of Indian Parliament.

Justice Gogoi headed the bench that delivered Nov 9, 2019 verdict.

Others say, the Modi dispensation is "keeping control" on all key power structures including the judiciary.

Recently, a prominent lawyer Prashant Bhushan, who had leveled similar charges against the judges and the

apex court, was pronounced guilty in a 'defamation case' by the Supreme Court and was fined Rupee one.

But in all these, the opposition parties are only completely baffled.

Trinamool Congress, a regional outfit in the state of West Bengal, has tried to play safe so that the Hindu sentiment

is not displeased. West Bengal goes to polls in April-May 2021 and the party led by mercurial Chief Minister

Mamata Banerjee faces a tough fight from BJP.

A large number of Ms Banerjee's party cadres and workers are reportedly switching sides as they are "unhappy"

with the party's overboard policies to cater only to issues concerning Muslims.

"It is a court judgement, so we cannot just say we oppose or support it. The verdict has come after 28 years, few people are unhappy with it," said Trinamool MP Saugata Roy - generally a strong opponent of BJP's policies.

Surprisingly, there was no tweet from Ms Mamata Banerjee - something she does not miss on these occasions.

There was no tweet or formal reaction from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who often projects himself as a chief

rival to Modi.

Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala said: "Decision of Special Court runs counter to decision of Supreme Court.

judgement as also the constitutional spirit". 

He urged the Modi-led federal government Centre and Uttar Pradesh government - headed by a monk-politician Yogi

Adityanath - to file an appeal against the special court’s decision without any “partiality and prejudice”.

Will someone miss the helplessness in their tone? 

(edited version was run by UCA News)

https://www.ucanews.com/news/no-one-responsible-for-mosque-demolition-as-hindutva-triumphs/89737