A reminder of India’s hate policy

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Thousands of Muslim staged demonstrations across India to condemn the demolition of Babri Masjid on its 29th anniversary and demanding its reconstruction at the same place where the 16th century mosque was standing. Social Democratic Party of India cadre staged a demonstration near Melapalayam traffic island with party’s State general secretary A.S. Umar Farook leading the agitation. The struggle will not cease until demolished Babri masjid is built again. The judgment given by the Supreme Court in the Babri masjid case as an injustice and the site where the masjid stood should be given to Muslims for the construction of the razed down structure again and those who demolished the place of worship of Muslims should be brought to justice.
National Women’s Front’s State vice-president Fatima Alima, Tirunelveli city district president of the SDPI Shahul Hameed Usmani, advocate Senthil Kumar and others spoke at the demonstration. The SDPI cadre also staged demonstrations at Pettai near Tirunelveli Town, Ervadi and Ambasamudram in Tirunelveli district. Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam and Manithaneya Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam cadres also staged a demonstration at Melapalayam where all the shops remained closed in view of the Babri masjid demolition anniversary.
But twenty-nine years after the demolition of Babri Mosque in India on December 6, 1992, the radicalism of the Bharatia Janta Party is still alive as one of its leaders has stated that those who razed the mosque should be saluted. Uma Bharti, a BJP leader and a former Union Minister, who played a key role in the Ram Janmabhoomi Movement, said: I salute those who brought down Babri Masjid. On December 6, 1992, a charged Hindu mob demolished a 16th century Babri Mosque in Ayodhya on the pretext that it was built at the birthplace of Hindu god Ram. The unfortunate incident was a result of a sustained campaign by far-right Vishwa Hindu Parishad backed by many present leaders of Bharatia Janta Party (BJP). Instead of delivering justice, the Indian Supreme Court ruled in favor of extremist Hindus and handed over the mosque’s site to Hindus for temple construction.
The demolition of the mosque and the jubilation of the mobs created a permanent fissure in India’s social fabric and instilled fear among India’s Muslim minority. In short, minorities in India are not safe; they have to constantly fear for their beliefs and the places where they worship. The Babri Mosque was constructed in Ayodhya, a city situated in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, by Mughal Emperor Babur’s general Mir Baqi between 1528-1529 AD. The extremist Hindus claimed that it was built on the foundations of what they considered to be the birthplace of Lord Ram (Ram Janmabhoomi). In December 1949, idols of Lord Ram were placed by Hindu Karseveks and mysteriously “appeared” from inside the mosque. This led to widespread protests and demand for the construction of Ram Temple at the place of Babri Mosque. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad formed a group to continue the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, in which BJP leader LK Advani was made the leader and face of the campaign for the construction of a grand ‘Ram Mandir’ at the site. In November 1989, Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi allowed the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to conduct a ceremony, called the Shilanyas (consecration), at the site of Babri Mosque in a move to appease far-right Hindus. On December 6, 1992, emboldened by BJP rule in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, a charged Hindu extremist mob, chanting Jai Shri Ram, attacked Babri Mosque and reduced it to rubble.