BJP-Shiv Sena and Congress Should Apologise for The Demolition of Babri Masjid
India bowed its head in shame on the 6th of December 1992 when the frenzied karsevaks of BJP-RSS-Shiv Sena combined stormed the age-old Babri Masjid and demolished it in full glare of the cameras telecast live by major news channels of the world and hapless security personnel.
Congress Govt led by Narsimha Rao abetted the crime and an act of shame by not acting in time to save the structure, even though the intelligence report clearly suggested the inevitable would happen if no action was taken in time. On the other hand, Narsimha Rao chose to watch the demolition from his cozy drawing room, while major BJP-RSS-Shiv Sena leaders joined in the shameless act of demolition aided and abetted by the inept Kalyan Singh Govt which misled the nation. This included Advani, Joshi and scores of others, who were named in the Liberhan Commission Report being debated in the Parliament today.
Incidentally, the Report indicted not only top BJP leaders but also its top head Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the so called moderate face of the hawkish party. More irony to follow when the Commission gave a clean chit to Narsimha Rao, the then Prime Minister of India, though everyone believe that he was equally responsible for the crime of demolition.
The leak of the Liberhan report was deliberate or accidental, it was meant to feed the hungry news channels and print media to carry on the public trial of the event much before it was debated in the parliament.
Today in parliament, instead of apologising to the nation, BJP leadership led by Rajnath Singh had the audacity to say, “To call the disputed structure Babri Masjid is wrong,” said the BJP President, adding, “It was a temple, is a temple, will remain a temple.” What a travesty of facts on record. The whole nation was watching the debate and people have nothing but pity on such leaders justifying their shameful actions.
Taking exception to the remark of Justice Liberhan calling BJP as irresponsible, Rajnath Singh said that what happened on the fateful day on 6th December 1992 was a spontaneous action by the Karsevaks and not a planned one. Can anyone call it a spontaneous action, when thousands of karsevaks gathered over a period of time with so many demolition weapons in hand, a spontaneous action not a planned one? It is for the people of the country to judge the fallacy of the claim by the leaders of the BJP.
For the benefit of the readers, let me quote the Liberhan Commission report. The Liberhan Report, which examines who was responsible for the demolition of the Babri Masjid, describes it as “a tailor-made exercise,” fuelled and then executed with the complete knowledge of the BJP – and “one of the most abhorrent acts in the history of the nation.”
The demolition was “neither spontaneous, nor unpreventable,” states the report, adding that the BJP “misled” the Centre by making “false promises” that the mosque would not be demolished. The report says the central government’s failure was that it was “day-dreaming,” and believed the BJP’s assurances.
It was indeed an abhorrent act, a shameless one that forced the nation to bow its head in shame in the comity of nations on that fateful day. It was not an ordinary pardonable crime committed by BJP-Shiv Sena combined but one of highly condemnable action which would continue to itch in the memory of the nation for years to come. Though time is the healing factor, but for 17 years, it remained an eventful and regrettable day in the life of the nation.
Its anniversary year after year, opens up the wounds and gives the Muslims in particular a painful reminder of the events that followed. Incidentally, this event also gave birth to terrorism in the country, which is equally reprehensible. No two wrongs would make one right. It is now up to Muslim community to bury to past and move forward. It is difficult but not impossible for Muslims to forget and forgive for the health of the national unity. We are saintly enough to forgive and forget our enemies but for the sake of our own health, let us forgive and forget them.
The whole nation condemned it then and continue to do it year after. Today, after 17 years of the event of demolition, a debate is on in the parliament on the Liberhan Commission Report. Many party leaders cutting across party lines joined to condemn BJP for their role in the demolition of Babri Masjid. But BJP is remorseless, continue to ignore the general sentiments and justify their actions. Whether it was SP’s Mulayam Singh or JD (U)’s Shard Yadev or Chauhan of BSP, Gurudas Gupta of CPI (M), all condemned the BJP single-handedly responsible and chief villain of demolition. They all opined that it could have been prevented had the Narsimha Rao govt invoked power under Art. 365 and sent forces to quell the mob. This was not done. If BJP-Shiv Sena were responsible for the demolition, Congress is no saint either.
Rightly Gurudas Gupta of CPM said, “I am ashamed to say that the demolition was a result of a meticulous planning,” Why the disaster could not be prevented? Why the criminals could not be held in jail? Why did the political system fail?” He questioned the parliament.
Tracing the history of events that culminated in the demolition of the Babri Masjid on 6th December 1992, all leaders laid the blame squarely on the feet of the then Congress leadership. They all said in one voice, it was during the Congress Govt time that the “Ram Lalla” idols were sneaked into the mosque. It was the Congress Govt that allowed the worship at the mosque through back door. It was the Rajiv Gandhi Govt that allowed Shilanyas at the disputed site and opened the gates of the masjid in 1989 that ultimately led to the demolition. Therefore, the Congress was equally to be blamed for the demolition. Congress along with BJP-Shiv Sena should apologise to the nation for shameless act of destruction.
What fate awaits the Liberhan Commission Report, time alone would tell. But then such reports were never been seriously considered in the past to bring all those indicted by the Commission to face the music of law. Will the Govt take immediate action to file an FIR against all those indicted in the report including Advani, Joshi and others? If not, then why this hollow debate in the parliament. It was only meant to score political mileage than undo the wrongs done to the Muslims of India.
Today, India is on the threshold of success as a leading economic power. Unity of people is paramount to achieve further milestones in all fronts. India is progressing and would march ahead in the days to come to provide enough opportunities to its people. India today need uninterrupted supply of energy, potable water, food grains, pulses, oil to alleviate the sufferings of the people and not a Hindu-Muslim divide. People are suffering because of spiraling prices of essential commodities. There is no sign of lowering the prices of vegetables or rice or wheat and other essential commodities. These prices are still ruling high. The food inflation is rocketing at 17.4% making the life of the common man difficult. People today have realised the folly of dividing the nation on the basis of caste, creed or religion or language. Today, India is united as people defeated the divisive forces and voted Congress and allies back to power for the second term in 2009. It signalled the end of divisive politics. Let us cash in on the mood of the people and continue to work for the benefit of the people.
What should not happen, it happened in 1992 when Babri Masjid was demolished on 6th December 1992. This cannot be undone now. The nation is not rich enough to buy back the past and restore the demolished structure. If people have faith in the rule of law, let all the parties to the disputed site wait for the court verdict. Till then let us not fan the fire of communal passion. BJP is desperate to make an issue of it out of Liberhan Commission Report as it has become an issue-less party and redundant in the present scheme of things. BJP is already a divided house due to its own contradictions and in-fighting among the top leadership. RSS is entering the power centre of the party through the backdoor dictating the change of leadership. Advani is likely to go and would soon slip into history like Vajpayee. Who will replace him and how well the new leadership, whether young or old, would take the party out of the present morass, is to be seen.
In the end, it would be very difficult for the Muslims to nurse the wounds of demolition. But a pragmatic thinking would force them to accept the ‘fait accompli’ and move forward in the larger interest of the nation well being. There is no point in crying over spilt milk. BJP leadership would do well, if they change their attitude towards Muslims. Today nation stands united and our biggest enemy is terrorism being exported from across the borders. Let us fight the menace of terrorism by being united and not allowing the terrorists to take a sanctuary or haven in the country invoking religious allegiances to carry on their nefarious designs against our nation. Let us all remembers, these terrorists have no religion. They are criminals and enemies of humanity. Crush them wherever one sees them or demolish their hideouts. Give them no space in the country.
Nation building is prime and it should remain so in the minds of its people. Nothing is greater and no one is greater than the nation. Let us all love our nation and work to preserve its hard earned unity. Jai Hind.