Picking up the pieces......

Ritam Banati

Every anniversary of Babri Masjid`s demolition is a reminder of the Ayodhya Movement started by the BJP with the aim of consolidating its vote bank. The BJP rose to great political heights with the Rath Yatra which began in 1990. And two years later the country witnessed the unfortunate destruction of the Babri on December 6 which till today remains a sad chapter in the history of the nation. There was polarisation of the Hindus from the Muslims. It was alleged that even 1993 Bombay riots were one of the consequences of the demolition of the mosque. The atmosphere was so communally charged that the police deployed to contain the volatile atmosphere was alleged to be partial.

The post-Godhra riots of 2002, which ensued less than a decade later, also flowed from the same origin. Controversy shrouds the whole issue even today, as some hold the Hindus responsible for instigating the same whereas some blame the Muslims for the burning of communal fuel. Irrespective of what the truth behind it all is, the reality remains that gruesome murders and rapes did take place. And it is this, which is a matter of sheer concern. Sadly the crime has frequently been overlooked in the face of the political battle, which instigate or result from these riots.

The sorry state of affairs is such that mostly things end with politicisation of the riots. It is a known fact that the post-Godhra riots were exploited politically during the 2002 Gujarat Assembly polls to mobilise the electorate.

Even in the 2007 Gujarat Assembly polls, Godhra is still not entirely irrelevant. The recent Tehelka expose has once again tried to enliven the bizarre incident. The ramification of the destruction of the mosque, the post-Godhra riots, will always be a black spot on Indian secularism.

A chain of such events had followed when after 1992, over the years religious places across India were made the target of militants. The purpose each time was to hurt religious sentiments and create a communal wedge. All said and done, let us not forget that one blunder of destroying a religious structure has long-term repercussions. On the 15th anniversary of the mosque’s demolition, a terror conspiracy was unveiled and Intelligence reported that Varanasi’s educational institutions were on the hit list of militants. Apart from this, on the anniversary’s eve, Delhi was put on high alert as reports came in stating that six terrorists had sneaked inside the national capital intending to execute a terror game plan. Hence it becomes vital to change the perspective of analysing the veracity of the matter. This implies a careful scrutiny of the events preceding and succeeding the destruction of the Masjid. It is necessary to examine these episodes keeping in mind the dynamics of the contemporary socio-political situation.

A change of focus is the need of the hour. Working towards an apolitical stand will abet the final resolution of the contentious problem.

In this direction, it is imperative to ensure that the security mechanism is tightened to deter all such prospective happenings. It is also urgently required to evolve a strategy that helps in combating the wrong thought pattern of the fundamentalist mind.

This practical approach should in fact form the basis of all future confabulations. Let the 15th anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid be an eye-opener for us all and not be passed off as just Black Day in the life of India.