Tag: Babri Masjid

  • Inauguration of Ram Mandir- Modi’s Hindutva in full force

    Inauguration of Ram Mandir- Modi’s Hindutva in full force

    Ram Mandir in India is being inaugurated today (Monday) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with state-sponsored fanfare.

    “This will be our Vatican City, the holiest site for Hindus across the world,” said Sharad Sharma, spokesperson for Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), a rightwing Hindu group, and member of the Hindu trust building the temple. “After 500 years of Hindu oppression, Lord Ram will finally be returned to Ayodhya,” The Guardian cites him as saying.

    Considering the importance the event holds, the ceremony is going to be attended by a huge number of Bollywood celebrities, cricketers, politicians and leading businessmen of the country. A newly commissioned airport in Ayodhya is also in the works. Security has been tightened, while the fear of violence has prompted Muslim residents of Ayodhya to send their children and women to relatives in neighbouring towns.

    Bollywood celebrities at the inauguration of Ram Mandir

    The temple is a reminder of the very inception of this controversy built on the ruins of 16th-century Babri Masjid. It was demolished by a Hindutva-infused right-wing mob in 1992 after decades of disputes. The riots that happened following the demolition killed more than three thousand Muslims.

    The mosque was built in 1527 by Mughal Emperor Babur and was a rare surviving example of the architecture of the early Mughal Empire, which ruled India from 16th to 19th centuries. Muslims worshipped in the mosque for more than 300 years.

    Summarising the history of the site, Dr. Audrey Truschke wrote in Time: “In the 1850s, when India was largely under British colonial rule, the first signs of trouble arose as the Babri Masjid emerged as a key site of Hindu nationalist attempts to rectify perceived historical wrongs by Muslims, an idea inherited from British colonialists. Hindus claimed that Lord Ram, a major god and mythological hero, had been born at the very spot on which the mosque stood. Competing claims of Ram’s birthplace were once attached to many sites in Ayodhya, but the Babri Masjid drew particular fervor because it was a mosque. Some imagined further historical wrongs associated with the Babri Masjid, including claiming that the mosque was built after Babur’s general destroyed a Hindu temple at that location. None of these claims stand up to historical scrutiny. But in the 1980s, Hindu nationalist groups began tapping into these claims to argue that the mosque needed to be destroyed to clear the way for a new Hindu temple, declaring Mandir wahi banayenge (‘The temple will be built right there!’). After years of agitation, their efforts resulted in an explosion of Islamophobic violence on December 6, 1992, when a Hindu mob numbering at least 75,000 descended on Ayodhya and dismantled the Babri Masjid, brick-by-brick.

    Modi’s BJP benefitted from the situation and came to power in 2014. After the second victory in BJP in 2019, India’s Supreme Court—laden with judges affiliated with BJP- the court called the mosque’s destruction ‘an egregious violation of the rule of law,’ but nonetheless ruled that a Hindu temple could be built on the mosque’s ruins.”

    Modi laid the foundation stone at a groundbreaking ceremony in August 2020.

    Posed as a divine moment this is interpreted as a political gimmick by The Guardian because general elections are going to be held in April in India and by invoking the religious sentiments of the 80 per cent majority of the country, Modi is seeking a third term in power. Prime Minister Modi has also declared that God had chosen him as an instrument to be “representative of all Indians” and he had begun 11 days of “strict vows and sacrifice” to prepare for the event.

    Even though many Indians have given in to the political gimmickry, most are reminded that this Vatican City is nothing but a monument built after demolishing Babri Masjid by force with the help of brute majority.

    Dr. Audrey posted, “Today is a dark day for India”. She was then hugely criticised by Hindu extremists over her tweet and the article she shared.

    A Twitter user commented that this is the win of Jinnah’s two-nation theory.

    Pratesh from India shared a clip from ANI where a teacher was teaching dance steps on bhajans in schools to celebrate the inauguration. He commented, “Now what happened to no religion in school? Was it only applicable for hijab?”

    Someone sarcastically trolled Narendra Modi’s poster by writing, “Very hard to say at this point whose temple is being inaugurated.”

    A user named Sabah counted the Bollywood actors that are attending the event just to appease the government.

    Writer and Educationist Raju Parulekar lamented the state of India has lost its secular spirit in a tweet.

    The most viral is that of a kid schooling the government that a Mandir can’t educate and enable people only a school can.

  • The hideous face of India under Modi

    India is known as the ‘world’s largest democracy’ but it is quite apparent that it has become an autocracy under the rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Modi government has marginalised the minorities, apart from a few honourable exceptions, the Indian media largely behaves like a PR machine for the right-wing government, and the judiciary, too, has become pliant. International human rights organisations are facing the wrath of the Indian government for exposing its real face. Just recently, Amnesty International India announced that it is halting its work in the country after the Indian government froze its bank accounts due to their work. The recent crackdown by the Indian government against human rights organisations and defenders was condemned by 15 international human rights organisations.

    The Babri Mosque verdict was a tight slap in the face of justice. To give a clean chit to all accused in the Babri Mosque demolition case – 32 out of 49 were acquitted as17 had died while the case was still under way – seems to say that nobody demolished the historic mosque. An Indian court said the demolition was not pre-planned despite 850 witnesses, 7,000 documents apart from TV footage and photos of what happened that fateful day. The demolition was televised and led to communal riots, which killed around 2,000 people. From the Ayodhya verdict last year to the Babri Mosque verdict just days ago, the Indian judiciary seems like a proper lackey of the Modi government. The way this verdict was celebrated by the accused, which included former Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani, shows that the verdict was expected.

    India under Modi has changed radically in just six years. The pretense of a secular India is truly over. Communalism in India was always a reality – from the Bombay riots in 92-93 to Gujarat pogrom in 2002, the Muslim minority in India largely lived in fear but at least there were constitutional protections safeguarding their rights. Now, just like the White Supremacists have been empowered in Trump’s America, the Hindutva brigade has been weaponised in Modi’s India. It is fast turning into a Hindu Rashtra. From treating religious minorities like third-class citizens to not giving a hoot about the ethnic minorities, the Indian authorities have shown time and again how shameless they can be.

    A 19-year-old Dalit woman died on Tuesday after she was allegedly gang-raped by four upper-caste men in the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP), where the controversial Yogi Adityanath rules as the chief minister. The details of the gang-rape are horrific: the young victim was beaten to a pulp and left to die. She was hospitalised for two weeks but did not make it in the end. As if the trauma of her death and what led to it was not enough for the victim’s family, the UP police cremated her body in the dead of the night without the permission and presence of her family. The victim’s brother told the BBC that “they took the body away without our permission, without the permission of my parents and cremated her”. He said the family did not even get to see her one last time. Just after this, news broke of a 22-year-old Dalit woman’s death after a gang-rape, this time too in the state of UP.

    India’s descent into fascism was expected under Modi but to witness the authorities being so blatant about it in the 21st century is still shocking. Rolling back Modi’s legacy will take generations. The process should begin before it is too late. 

  • India vs India: Twitterati blast court for saying no one demolished Babri Mosque

    India vs India: Twitterati blast court for saying no one demolished Babri Mosque

    An Indian court on Wednesday acquitted all 32 accused in the Babri Masjid case after a judge controversially ruled that the demolition was not preplanned.

    A special court of India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Lucknow issued the verdict nearly thirty years after a mob of Hindu extremists razed the historic mosque to the ground.

    As expected, the verdict attracted strong reactions not only from around the globe, but Indians too.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) has also strongly reacted to the decision, calling it shameful.

    BABRI MOSQUE:

    Babri Masjid was a mosque in Ayodhya, India. Located in Ayodhya district, at a spot believed by Hindus to be the birthplace of Hindu deity Rama, it has been a bone of contention between the Hindu and Muslim communities since the 18th century.

    The destruction of the mosque in 1992 sparked massive Hindu-Muslim violence that left around 2,000 people dead.

    Hindu hardliners say the mosque was built after a temple dedicated to the Hindu god was destroyed by Muslim invaders. After the demolition of the mosque, Hindus and Muslims took the issue to a lower court, which, in 2010 ruled that the disputed land should be divided into three parts — two for Hindus and one for Muslims.

    Late last year, the Indian Supreme Court (SC) had put to rest the decades-old Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case, deciding in favour of Hindus.

    The Indian top court had allotted Ayodhya land to Ram Janambhoomi Nyas (Ram Birthplace Trust).

    Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas is an organisation to promote and oversee the construction of a temple in Ayodhya at the Ram Janmabhoomi, the reputed site of the birth of Rama, the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Hindu God Vishnu.

  • Babri Masjid case: Indian SC decides in favour of Hindus

    Babri Masjid case: Indian SC decides in favour of Hindus

    Putting to rest the decades-old Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case, the Indian Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday decided in favour of Hindus as it allotted Ayodhya land to Ram Janambhoomi Nyas (Ram Birthplace Trust).

    Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas is an organisation to promote and oversee the construction of a temple in Ayodhya at the Ram Janmabhoomi, the reputed site of the birth of Rama, the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Hindu God Vishnu.

    With a five-judge bench pronouncing its unanimous judgment that was reserved last month on the Ayodhya case involving the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid, it ordered allotment of five-acre alternative land to Muslims for setting up of a mosque while deciding in favour of Hindus.

    The ruling said the Indian government will formulate a scheme in three months to set up a board of trustees for the construction of the temple at the disputed structure.

    “This court must accept faith and accept the belief of worshippers. The court should preserve balance,” Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi said while reading out the judgement.

    The court said Hindus believe that Lord Ram was born under the dome, adding that faith is a matter of individual belief.

    It said there is evidence that Ram Chabutra, Sita Rasoi was worshipped by the Hindus before the British came. The court said evidence in the records shows that Hindus were in the possession of outer court of the disputed land.

    “Arguments were made on archaeology report. Archaeological Survey of India’s credentials are beyond doubt and its findings can’t be neglected,” the court said.

    The court said that titles can’t be decided on faith and belief but on claims. The judgement stated that historical accounts indicate the belief of Hindus that Ayodhya was the birthplace of Lord Ram.

    The Indian SC dismissed the plea of Shia Waqf Board on a claim to the Babri Masjid, saying there was no evidence that Muslims abandoned the mosque. Hindus always believed the birthplace of Lord Ram was in the inner courtyard of the mosque, the verdict added. 

    According to the court, it is clearly established that Muslims offered prayer inside the inner courtyard and Hindus offered prayers in the outer courtyard.

    Ahead of the verdict, appeals for peace were made by the Hindu and Muslim organisations and various political leaders, including Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi.

    Meanwhile, Delhi Police said it will initiate strict legal action against mischief-mongers or those found indulging in any activity that may adversely affect peace and public order.

    “Activities on social media platforms will be under observation,” said the police.

    Earlier, authorities banned the assembly of more than four people at one place in and around Ayodhya, a town in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh while the government ordered all schools and colleges to remain closed until Monday.

    BABRI MASJID DESTRUCTION:

    Babri Masjid was a mosque in Ayodhya, India. Located in Ayodhya district, at a spot believed by Hindus to be the birthplace of Hindu deity Rama, it has been a bone of contention between the Hindu and Muslim communities since the 18th century.

    The destruction of the mosque in 1992 sparked massive Hindu-Muslim violence that left around 2,000 people dead.

    Hindu hardliners say the mosque was built after a temple dedicated to the Hindu god was destroyed by Muslim invaders. After the demolition of the mosque, Hindus and Muslims took the issue to a lower court, which, in 2010 ruled that the disputed land should be divided into three parts — two for Hindus and one for Muslims.