Political Diary

New Delhi, 18 September 2010

Ayodhya Judgment

WILL IT BE GAME CHANGER?

By Poonam I Kaushish

Phew, finally after 60 long years Judgment Day is three days away. Hindus and Muslims have fingers crossed, prayers on lips and are busy evoking Lord Ram and Allah Rahim. Every one fervently praying that the much-awaited verdict on the disputed Ayodhya-Babri Masjid land will release them from spiritual strangulation and enable them to attain nirvana!

Undoubtedly, the 24 September verdict by the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court will mark a big moment in the painstaking extensive legal battle but will not lead to closure of the dispute which altered the political landscape on 6 December 1992, strained communal ties and is still combustible enough to re-ignite temperatures. Whosoever wins, Hindus or Muslims, it is sure to land up in the Supreme Court.  While a jittery Centre and State fortifies with heavy security.

True, 17 years is a long time to heal wounds of hurt religious zeal. The protagonists of the Ram Janambhoomi movement have faded away and a brimming new Gen Next is clueless about the religious portents and fall-out. Yet the Ayodhya embroglio which has come to symbolize Hindu-Muslim faith today has the potential to disturb the political-social balance. Asserted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, “The way the country deals with it will have a profound impact on our evolution.” Raising a moot point: Will the judgment be a game changer, politically and socially?   

In a sense, the Ayodhya dispute with its political undertones, underscores the nemesis of depending wholly and pathetically on the judicial process to tackle an issue of faith. While the Hindus claim that the land is the site of the birthplace of Lord Ram and building a Ram temple is religious justice. The Muslims assert their right over the same as the site of a 16th century mosque dating back to Mughal Emperor Babur.

It is to the Court’s credit that it pierced the veil of the politicization of the Ayodhya demolition, overtly by BJP and covertly by Congress, and is treating it as a property dispute. Whereby, the three-judge special bench comprising Justice S U Khan, Justice D V Sharma and Justice Sudhir Agarwal, which reserved its judgment on July 26, have to adjudicate on three fundamental questions: Is the disputed spot in Ayodhya the birthplace of Lord Ram? Was the Babri mosque built in 1528 after the demolition of a temple? Was the mosque in question built in accordance with the tenets of Islam?

Also, if Ram Lala’s idols being worshipped in the makeshift temple were placed at the sanctum sanctorum on the intervening night of December 22-23, 1949, or they existed there since time immemorial? Had the Muslims abandoned the mosque in 1934?

Arguably, how can a Court decide on the exact birth place and birth date of Gods? Given that they are neither an archaeological authority nor a dispenser of historical researches.  Besides, the Court would first have to establish that Lord Ram was a mortal being.

Two, to ascertain whether a mosque was built on a temple, the Court would need to first establish whether Ram preceded Babur or visa versa. And look at the excavation details of that period. A cumbersome task as every layer of earth in India has a period of history buried beneath.

Politically speaking both the Congress and BJP are hedging their bets. Asserted a top official, “Astha (faith) is not a document. Political gains will be achieved or lost depending on how one interprets the verdict. Both communities have to bear in mind that a Court decides only on the basis of documents."

According to a senior Congress leader if the verdict goes in favour of the Muslims, then the Party would gain politically, as the minority group is critical for sustaining its electoral winning. But with a rider: It would need to assuage the majority community’s hurt as also be sensitive to the Hindus. “We will have to ensure that the losing side moves the Supreme Court quickly. The Party is helpless when Hindutava forces raise the emotional pitch.”

Further, a pro-Muslim verdict could give Hindutava forces like the VHP-Bajrang Dal an opportunity to rake up the temple issue, which has lost its potency in recent years. A shrill Hindu campaign could be advantage BJP and upset the Congress’ plans to create a political climate where neutral national issues take precedence. Adding to woes, many wonder, who will remove the temple if the title suit favours the Muslims?

The Saffron Sangh has decided to play safe. Claiming there was no change in its Ayodhya ideology, the BJP said it would “respect” the Court verdict and comment only after the judgment. Cryptically, adding that there could be no doubts regarding the temple’s existence at the disputed site.

Needless to say, after painstakingly trying to build on a ‘secular’ image the Party would hate to see its efforts go in vain, notwithstanding its ‘communal’ tag. Stated, senior leader Jaswant Singh, “The time has come to move on.”

In sum, regardless of the immediate fall-out of the Ayodhya controversy reverting to the political arena, the Allahabad High Court verdict should sound a note of caution to the main players in the dispute. To begin with, it should impress upon the parties and their cohorts of the need to avoid surreptitious private deals and games of one-upmanship.

The dispute which has been the fountain head of communal discord for over half a century needs to be settled amicably by the Hindus and Muslims. Specially, as the country deals with a volatile Kashmir where the spectre of separatism has raised its ugly head again with bête noire Pakistan busy fanning communal discord. What to speak of internal strife thanks to the deadly Naxalites spreading their tentacles across the country.

It is now time for the political parties to close their ranks and re-dedicate themselves to a truly secular nation. There can be no two opinions that the developments at Ayodhya will alter the course of contemporary politics from which both the BJP and the Congress stand to gain as well as lose.

Clearly, there is no easy way out of hard decisions. The Ayodhya issue should be settled mutually once and for all. It must not be bequeathed to the next generation as a continuing bloody feud. We should think of the future of our past even as we mouth familiar pious platitudes. Our sants, mullahs and netagan should not strain the aam aadmi’s secular credibility. Being secular does not negate religion or beliefs. Or else the changing game could get ugly and deadly. ---- INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)