Nehruvian concept of secularism: respect for all religions, was once again put on trial by history to prove its secular credentials and its ‘respect for all religions’ slogan on September 30. It was this day, when everyone regardless of his age, particularly among Muslims, preferred to stay indoors, some out of fear, others out of curiosity to watch the ‘belly dance of secular judiciary’. Those moments were very painful and cumbersome as they bombarded the minds of one and sundry with memories from which humans have always tried to escape. However, those were not mere memories which could be brushed aside, rather the hard historical facts of that tussle which got birth in the laps of a well knit conspiracy in which the weak were suppressed, oppressed and terrorised by the strong.
The moments compelled us all to recollect the cruel and killing darkness of that night which preceded December 23, 1949, when some miscreants put the idols of Ramlalla under the central dome of that great Masjid which had stood there for over four centuries and thus desecrated a very sacred place of Muslims.
Who does not know that this desecrated place of worship of Muslims had till then spoken volumes in its silent but sublime and glorious voice about the pristine glory of its people and their past in this land. And now all of a sudden, some Rashtravadis started believing insistently that this marvellous place of worship was actually the birthplace of Ramlalla. Thus this sublime house of worship of rulers-turned-minority people was reduced to a ‘real’ controversial issue. Then the ‘secular democracy’ came forward to announce its judgment based on secular notion of justice. It worsened the situation further. It made the issue more complex. It tied the tongue of this grand structure, sealed its lips, closed its eyes and forbade it to speak even in its defence. It compelled this House of worship to remain silent and wait for the time when the courts will determine its fate. These moments whispered into the ears that this was actually an effort to rob the Muslims of their glorious past by conspiracies.
The moments forcefully reminded us of the painful day of December 6, 1992, when mere hatching conspiracies could not quench the thirst of brazen mischief and it had to go in the public with its face unmasked to twist the arms of the weak by its iron hands and fists, to snatch from them their symbols of pride and prosperity, by crook or by hook; they could not achieve it. These people, with hovels, spades and hammers in their hands, chanting slogans of Rama, shouting and expressing their conquest over a structure since long advised by judiciary to remain tight lipped. Muslims made attempts to save it but to no avail; instead they had to suffer the loss of hundreds of valuable lives. It was hitting hard and severely their minds to realise that even at that time when, on one hand, they were being butchered and were in dire need of help and protection and on the other hand, all the agencies that should have come to their rescue remained with hand in gloves. It seemed that as if the whole agency of the ‘secular democratic’ government had come to a halt or had gone to some far away health resorts knowing nothing about the misery, woes and mourning of the people who have a significant role to play in the elections.
Now, with minds being soaked with such painful memories of the recent past, our hearts were escalating between apprehensions and expectations. Everyone hoped very curiously for justice being delivered by judiciary.
Since judiciary is the only reliable institution, given its vital role in any society, which could be of any help to a suppressed and oppressed people. It was that beam of hope which they were long waiting for. But, to their utter surprise, judiciary, again this time, proved that it is not an autonomous institution in this ‘biggest democracy’ of the World. It once again proved that its decisions are politically motivated. It once again proved that the value of justice can be sacrificed at the altar of politics if the situation so demands. It once again proved the Machiavellian concept that nothing is superior to the state and if state is in danger, the Emperor (in this case the agencies of state) can go to any extent. It once again proved that, if the situation so demands, it can suppress the already suppressed and let the oppressor swell with joy and extend its iron jaws as far as it can. It shattered the belief of Muslims in the judicial system of the secular-socialist democracy.
It was a title suit, and hence subject to the property laws of Indian Constitution. It has nothing to do with the faith of any party concerned. Still the verdict came upholding the alleged faith and ignored the hard facts like over four hundred years of history of that Grand Masjid of Emperor Babar, its desecration by the miscreants in 1949, its merciless demolition by Hindutva extremists, and announced its decision of dividing the cake into three litigants because:
1. Some Hindus believe that it was birthplace of Rama.
2. They believe that there stood a Mandir before Masjid.
3. They believe that Emperor Babar built the Masjid after dismantling the Mandir.
If it was the matter of belief, then the belief of the Muslims should also have been taken into consideration. As, unlike Hindutvawadis, their case in this suit was not based upon mere faith rather it was based upon solid and concrete truth which follows:
– As per the Archaeological report (although its credibility was questioned by various historians) this Masjid was founded on the debris of an old structure where some bones and other similar things were found which clearly indicate that it could not have been Mandir.
– That the Masjid stood there for over four centuries.
– That idol of Ramlalla was placed inside the holy structure of Muslims during the intervening night of 22nd and 23rd December, 1949.
– That on 6 December 1992, this centuries’ old House of worship was mercilessly brought down by Hindu extremists in broad daylight.
I wonder how a prominent and important institution of “Democracy” can ignore a faith and the hard facts which it is fighting for and give the verdict in favour of another faith which somehow happens to be the faith of majority, although its case was not supported by facts and findings. Doesn’t it mean that the so-called champions of ‘secular democracy’ are undermining the very notion of Democracy by their own hands? Doesn’t it prove the hollowness of the slogans of ‘Secularism’ and ‘Democracy’? Doesn’t it prove that these slogans have no credentials to deliver peace, harmony and security based on justice?
Although, Muslims have now decided to move to the Apex Court and knock at its door to tell it the story of their pain and agony, deprivation from justice and to give the democratic vent to their suppressed anger and anguish, the question here for them is not that whether they would succeed to make judiciary realise that the land is theirs and theirs only and it is only their right to erect the sacred structure over its own place once again and thus restore it its snatched and stolen glamour, glory and sacredness.
The real and pragmatic question is whether the series of events like this can wake up Muslims from the deep slumber and make them understand the way they are being stung every now and then. Can they now make their way forward by themselves, shunning the habit of following the footsteps of others? If they get only this much by such tragic and unjustified event, they will surely be the winners; and those who have given them so many sleepless nights and restless days will certainly be losers here and in the hereafter.