India's conflict: Babri Masjid Ram Janambhoomi is a leadership issue, Hai koi Mai ka Lal?

India's conflict: Babri Masjid Ram Janambhoomi is a leadership issue, Hai koi Mai ka Lal? (Is there a true son of Mother Bharat?)

URL - http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2013/12/indias-conflict-babri-masjid-ram.html

Twenty one years ago today on December 6, 2013, the hypocrite Indians who call India their mother, ripped her apart.  Not only did they hurt the other children of that mother but destroyed their historic symbol; Babri Masjid.   

Do we have a leader among Indians who considers every Indian to be an Indian, and nothing but an Indian?

In August of 2003, ten years ago, I talked about Ayodhya; here is clip from Mark Donald's Across the Divide in Dallas Observer, a lead story for that week.

“Ayodhya. It is an issue a lot of Indian-Americans shun talking about," Ghouse tells his radio audience. "But we must talk about it. We only know some aspects of the issue. When we learn all aspects, it brings some sort of resolution. It settles the dust in our minds, and when the dust settles, it gives clarity, peace of mind. It gives you freedom from the bondage of your prejudice."

On this issue, however, Ghouse can't resist offering his own opinion. He sees the problem as political rather than religious, exploited by Hindu extremists within the BJP to solidify their power. His idea is to defuse the problem through conciliation. "My suggestion is that Muslims should offer the land to build a temple for Ram. That is what a majority of Muslims in India feel. That is what a majority of Hindus feel. Let's not fight over an issue that is not going to help my children get education or get food on the table.

Quickly, he gulps some water and wipes a thin layer of sweat from his brow. "I will take your calls now. I will take all opinions, no matter how extreme, no matter how calm, no matter how agitated. All opinions are welcome."

The legitimate fear that holds Muslims from putting an end to this conflict is really not the land; it is the bent of the extremist politicians who want to dupe the common Hindus into believing that, to be a Hindu, one has to be anti-Muslim.

Of course India’s pluralistic ethos is deeper and has a solid foundation for the majority of Hindus to fall into the extremist politician’s trap, who want to wipe out everything that is Muslim. Thank God that is not the view of Hindu majority. However, the ones who scream the loudest get the hearing and corrupt the goodness of an average Hindu.

There are millions of Muslims out there who would want to live in harmony with every Indian regardless of his religion, caste or linguistic heritage, and that has been the tradition.  Many of us want to be a part of building the Ram Temple and let go of the Mosque, but the blood thirsty politicians will not be satisfied with it, there is no end to their demands, they want more, and more and every pound of flesh from Muslims.

This is what is holding the nation.  Do we have a leader among BJP who considers every Indians to be an Indian – no matter what that Indian eats, drinks, wears or believes? Do we have a Hindu leader who can rack up support to put an end to the harassment of Muslims, Christians, Dalits and other minorities in their daily conversations? Do we have a leader whose word is an iron clad guarantee that if Muslims walk away from Babri Masjid, they will not be pushed to give more and more? If there is a mai ka laal son of Bharat Mata, come forward, it will put an end to the conflict and we all can live our own lives and mind our own business.

The Indian Muslims are sick of the blame and the ugly comments hurled at them about India's partition, attacks of Ghazni on Somnath or the cruelties and Massacres of Aurangzeb. Many a parents teach their children to hate, and build biases against Muslims. It is not good for any one.

The Muslims of independent India are not responsible for the Partition, attacks of Ghazni or cruelty of Aurangzeb, just as the present day Hindus are not responsible for the past cruelties towards untouchables and burning of widows. This must be clearly understood and taught to bring Mukti (freedom) to both Hindus and Muslims from the bondage of the past.

Deep down, all humans seek justice and a balance in life, and without it, they are lost in sectarian warfare. As a member of the civilized nations, we need to collectively work towards building a cohesive India, where no Indian has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of the other -- an India where everyone is free to eat, drink, wear and believe whatever suits him/her.

Indeed, it is the battle for India's soul. I have offered many suggestions over the years and have hosted several radio talk shows including this one on August 29, 2003 at Dallas Observer.

What we need is trust building steps and Indians taking responsibility for their commitments. The Civility of a nation is measured by how she treats her women, children, and the ones in ditches, the minorities and the voiceless. An Australian professor shot back and wanted to know India's record.

Neither Indian, nor Australian or American system will score 100 in civility, but certainly it has the structure to contribute towards that goal, and if the rule of law prevails.

As a solution, India has offered reservations in jobs, and education system to those economically backward and those in the ditches to uplift them, we still have Sachar Report's recommendations to be implemented to uplift Muslims. We have to pull every one up from the ditches to a point from which they will be competitive. Harassment and Oppression of women continues female infanticide is a daily occurrence.

However, India's laws are equitable, the knowledge of which has not permeated into the whole society, nor its implementation occurs.  Thanks to the internet and social media, the society will eventually monitor itself. You can be who you want to be in India. It’s a tough battle, but legally, our path is paved.

We just need an Indian leader with the balls of Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, who can say, “From this day forward, I want all Indians to be with me for a common destiny and common good of every Indian. My fellow Indians who are Muslims are willing to walk away from Babri Masjid provided we will not demand and ask any more from them and change how we educate our children to treat every Indian with dignity.  Let’s put an end to the conflict and we all can live our own lives, take care of our families and be the best citizens we can be by caring for fellow humans.”  Is there an Indian politician who can say this?
 
Jai Hind
Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, peace, Islam, Israel, India, interfaith, and cohesion at work place. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com.
MORE ON THE TOPIC

Q& A LEGACY OF BABRI MASJID
http://mikeghouseforindia.blogspot.com/2013/12/q-the-legacy-of-babri-masjid.html

1 of 6 - AYODHYA - THE BATTLE FOR INDIA'S SOUL
URL: http://mikeghouseforindia.blogspot.com/2012/12/ayodhya-battle-for-indias-soul.html

2 OF 6 - AYODHYA - THE BATTLE FOR INDIA'S SOUL
http://mikeghouseforindia.blogspot.com/2012/12/ayodhya-battle-for-indias-soul-2.html

3 of 6 - AYODHYA, THE BATTLE FOR INDIA'S SOUL 
URL: http://mikeghouseforindia.blogspot.com/2012/12/ayodhya-battle-for-indias-soul-3.html

4 of 6 - AYODHYA, THE BATTLE FOR INDIA'S SOUL    http://mikeghouseforindia.blogspot.com/2012/12/ayodhya-battle-for-indias-soul-4.html

5 of 6 - AYODHYA, THE BATTLE FOR INDIA'S SOUL
http://mikeghouseforindia.blogspot.com/2012/12/ayodhya-battle-for-indias-soul-5.html

6 of 6 - AYODHYA, THE BATTLE FOR INDIA'S SOUL   

http://mikeghouseforindia.blogspot.com/2012/12/ayodhya-battle-for-indias-soul-6.html

HUFFINGTON POST: INDIA’S FUTURE, NARENDRA MODI, MUSLIM AND MOVING FORWARD
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/indias-future-narendra-mo_b_4177079.html

DALLAS OBSERVER’S LEAD STORY – ACROSS THE DIVIDE
http://www.mikeghouse.net/aboutus/dallas-observer-on-mikeghouse.htm

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Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, peace, Islam, Israel, India, interfaith, and cohesion at work place. He is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com. He believes in Standing up for others and has done that throughout his life as an activist. Mike has a presence on national and local TV, Radio and Print Media. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News; fortnightly at Huffington post; and several other periodicals across the world. His personal site www.MikeGhouse.net indexes all his work through many links.

Ayodhya on 18th Anniversary

Ayodhya on 18th Anniversary

The Babri Masjid controversy has been around since Mid Nineteenth century and after disputes, the right wing political parties demolished the 15th Centutry structure in Ayodhya on December 6th, 1992.

We need to research if this divisive issue was a ploy by the then British Government to keep the Indians divided so they can keep control of the colony.  Now that we are free, we  need to work on finding solutions and not pass the buck to next generation.   

In a Radio talk show in August of 2003, I shared two particular incidences where the Viceroy of India writes to the King of England in 1854 that the Muslims and Hindus have gotten back together and have built the Ram Chabootra (stone bench) symbolizing their unity, if they work together the end of British Empire will come to an end. The Sepoy revolt in 1857 proved another difficulty for the Empire when the Hindus and Muslims demonstrated unity once again despite the attempts to divide them.     

They hit us again in 1871 with the first census of India with the evil intent of showing to Hindus and Muslims about their demographics and frightening each of the other.

Who is wronger, the British for their divisive policies, or the Indians for buying into their ideas of division?

I am happy that finally Indians are waking up to divisive policies, the Indian public rejected the divisiveness of the right wing political parties in the last elections and told them that don’t use religion to your advantage, provide jobs, education, potable water and Sanitation. I hope they continue to do so.

The Allahabad court verdict was received calmly without violence by the right wingers on both sides of the issue. On the 18^th Anniversary of the demolition of the 15th Century Babri Mosque in Ayodhya,  today, relative peaceful protest took place, demonstrating once again the maturity of the Indians in absorbing democracy in their veins.

Jai Hind

Mike

 Mike Ghouse runs the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other and has dedicated to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress. He is a regular commentator on the TV, Radio and Print media offering pluralistic solutions to the issues of the day. He is a speaker, thinker, writer and a peace activist. Mike's work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/

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Peaceful protests mark Babri anniversary

HYDERABAD: Protesting against the Allahabad High Court's recent judgment on Babri Masjid, the Old City and other Muslim-majority areas remained completely shut on Monday that marked the 18th anniversary of the demolition of the mosque. Shops, business establishments and educational institutions remained closed in many areas and most of the residents decided to stay indoors. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Peaceful-protests-mark-Babri-anniversary/articleshow/7056092.cms

# # #Dec 6 passes peacefully in Ayodhya

Police arrested 20 followers of the Hindu Mahasabha on Monday when they were proceeding towards the Ram Janambhoomi site to commemorate the 18th anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992. This apart, the day passed peacefully in Ayodhya. However, there was apprehension that there could be

trouble because this anniversary was the first after the September 30 Allahabad High Court verdict, trifurcating the plot where the mosque stood.  http://www.hindustantimes.com/Dec-6-passes-peacefully-in-Ayodhya/Article1-635164.aspx

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Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati on Babri Masjid

ALLAHABAD: The name Babri Masjid in itself is wrong in the backdrop of the fact that historical records mention that neither he nor his son Humayun ever visited Ayodhya. This is because emperor Akbar's courtier Abul Fazal Faizi after visiting Ayodhya mentioned the presence of a temple and never spoke about the presence of a mosque also, said Shankaracharya of Badrikashram, Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati while speaking to newspersons here on Saturday.  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/allahabad/Swami-Swaroopanand-Saraswati-on-Babri-Masjid/articleshow/7044742.cms


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Read more: Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati on Babri Masjid - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/allahabad/Swami-Swaroopanand-Saraswati-on-Babri-Masjid/articleshow/7044742.cms#ixzz17N5eogg2

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Ayodhya verdict: ‘destructive’ of constitutional values

New Delhi: Eminent scholar of History Prof. K.M. Shrimali termed the Babri Masjid verdict as “destructive” of constitutional values as it vindicated and legalized the destruction of Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992.

“The mosque was destroyed on December 6, 1992, the spirit of law was demolished on September 30, 2010,” Prof. Shrimali said.

He was speaking at a seminar held on “Save the Constitution: Role of Civil Society”, organized by the Institute of Objective Studies (IOS) on Saturday, 4 December. http://twocircles.net/2010dec07/ayodhya_verdict_%E2%80%98destructive%E2%80%99_constitutional_values.html

Digvijay’s latest: Advani helped RSS infiltrate government, media

Accusing the RSS of frequently launching “media propaganda”, Singh said recent reports of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi being on terror outfit Lashkar-e-Tayyeba’s hitlist — attributed to Wikileaks revelations — “need to be verified if this is indeed true”.  “RSS has people everywhere. Advani had even planted RSS men in the media when he was information and broadcasting minister,” Singh said

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Digvijay-s-latest-Advani-helped-RSS-infiltrate-government-media/H1-Article1-635231.aspx

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Babri anniversary: over 80 activists arrested

More than 80 Hindu Munnani workers were arrested in Chennai when they attempted to hold a demonstration in Chennai without permission, police said. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/babri-anniversary-over-80-activists-arrested/136628-3.html?from=tn

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Reflections on the Verdict on Babri Masjid Dispute in India

Reflections on the Verdict on Babri Masjid Dispute in India 

Mirza A. Beg

Dear Mirza,

I am so pleased to read your musings (below) on the subject and compelled to write this, just want you to know that there is whole lot of Muslim who will see the wisdom in your write up and admire it.

Please be prepared for the onslaught from a few (just a few Sir) shortsighted Muslims among us,  they will jump at you and all we can do is pray that Allah give us the wisdom to have a vision devoid of emotions but concreted with a dignified space for future generation of Muslims.

It is easy to fan the emotions, but difficult to pause, ponder and bring the change we want.

Unlike the Cordoba House in New York, which I vigorously supported, for the values of co-existence it was planting in America, a Muslim contribution towards co-existence.  

Let me share a thought that is not popular but something we have to munch on.

We could not have yielded to the Radical forces of the Hindu right in the past, no one should, and there is no end to placating them.

The atmosphere at this moment is good, and I think Muslims should offer that piece of land to the Hindus to build Ram Temple; it will build a lot of goodwill. There are thousands of dilapidated and abandoned Mosques all over the country, particularly in UP where many of those Mosques are half sunk in dirty water with water buffaloes swimming around. We need to focus on them as well. 

We will have a moral upper hand for the first time in years by being generous, by giving and by showing the will power to give up… That is the Tyaag of our egos' we can submit and Insha Allah, it will up our psyche.

We need to rebuild our self-esteem by giving and by being good people, good humans, and charitable people. God has given us this opportunity we should seriously consider.

I understand the reservations, but I trust the Indian majority who has always followed the dharma of being just and righteous.  Should the RSS and BJP continue to harass Muslims, and if they pick on another issues, then the majority of Hindu population will speak up, as they have always done. I trust our ethos, and our heritage of goodness.

Thank you for appealing to the sanity.

Mike Ghouse

Mike Ghouse is a speaker on Islam and Pluralism offering pluralistic solutions to the media and the public on issues of the day. His blogs and sites are listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/

Reflections on the Verdict on Babri Masjid Dispute in India 

Mirza A. Beg

Friday, October 01, 2010

On Thursday September 30, 2010 India exhaled a collective sigh of relief.  With approximately 200,000, security forces deployed on high alert in north India, a three judge panel of High Court in the Northern Province of Utter Pradesh rendered its verdict on the intractable issue of Babri Masjid (Mosque). This issue has been festering since before the birth of the Indian Republic in,1947 and has claimed thousands of innocent lives in reoccurring riots.

The angst-ridden judgment is unsatisfactory to all parties, but it is a relief nevertheless. The court divided the land of the demolished Babri Masjid in the town of Ayodhya in three equal parts. A third to be given to the extremist Hindus who demolished the Masjid, claiming that very spot to be the birth place of the deity Lord Ram; a third to the Hindu sect that had set up a temple in the vicinity and a third to the Muslims who owned the demolished Masjid.  

The court is clear in its verdict, but nebulous in its dubious reasoning. That is its weakness, but it may be its strength as well. It can be seen as a reverse Solomon-like judgment, or a cowardly cop out – part of a loaf for all sides or defeat for all. Perhaps both are correct.

If one believes in the pristine ideal of justice being blind to all except the evidence, the judgment is terrible. But if one calculates the cost of the thousands of innocent lives already lost over the years that never got justice and is also aware of the possibility of many more lives being lost in the ensuing mayhem, one has to think, justice for whom?

Babri Masjid was built about the year 1528, after the first Mughal Emperor Babar conquered the north Indian plains. After three hundred years, in 1853 it was claimed to be the birth place of Lord Ram. About a hundred years later, in 1949 idols of Lord Ram were stealthily placed in the sanctuary of the Babri Masjid. Claims and counter claims were filed in the court. The courts have been loath to decide this intractable case, loaded with emotions and ever lurking danger of wide-spread sectarian strife. It has plagued the body politic of India for the last sixty years, resulting in many riots.

On December 6, 1992, orchestrated by the extremist Hindu political party BJP, a mob tore down the Babri Masjid brick by brick in about six long hours, while the government fidgeted impotently. In spite of being threatened, the press televised parts of the event all over the world. In the immediate aftermath, riots broke out at many places, the worst being in Mumbai. It claimed the lives of over 2,000 innocent people mostly from the minority Muslim community. The BJP succeeded in poisoning the minds of enough people to form a minority government in the next general election.  After more than a decade of many more engineered riots, the Indian electorate had had enough and the secular parties came back to power.

The judges were under pressure to dispose off this intractable cancer. They took a bold step to reach a verdict, albeit flawed.  

On purely legal grounds the judgment should have been easy. It is beyond the jurisdiction of a secular court to decide the divinity of Lord Ram or the impossible task of determining the exact spot of his birth more than three thousand years ago. After fifty years of evasion the court took it upon itself to determine if there existed an older temple devoted to Lord Ram before the Babri Masjid was built. The Archaeological Survey of India found no positive evidence. The evidence was unclear to put it mildly.

But the image of the deity Lord Ram is very real in the hearts, minds and lives of millions of devout Hindus, an overwhelming majority in India. Religion is a very potent force, easily exploited.  Ordinary decent Hindus do not realize, they have been manipulated, just as other religious communities fall victim to exploitation of their religions. Therefore, it was the political conundrum, an impossible task before the court to adjudicate.

India is a young secular democracy, with more rights for its minorities than many other countries. It is far from perfect. Even older more established democracies fall prey to emotional propaganda in difficult times of economic or political uncertainty. India has a long way to go and most thoughtful Indians from all communities know it.

They know that narrow views of history cast long shadows in many countries and societies, inciting violence and impeding development of civil societies. No place on Earth is occupied by its original inhabitants. Invasion and occupation by successive invaders has been the norm. It has given rise to contested histories by ethnic and religious groups that adhere to a subjective narrative of the beginning of the history to their advantage. India has a long very rich history of rise and fall of great civilizations and empires, going back to about 3,000 BCE. The early narratives of history rest on a plinth that is part myths and legends with sparse records.

In the last two hundred years, the world has come to realize that the domination of the weak by the strong is the root of all wars. The development of multi-ethnic, multi religious democracies is an antidote to an endemic cycle of wars. They have not quite succeeded yet, but they are poised to break that endemic cycle in favor of equality and guaranteed rights to all the inhabitants of a country under a secular constitution.

One hopes that this perceived flawed judgment of the court would lay the deadly conundrum of Babri Masjid to rest. It will give a breathing space and a chance to thoughtful Indians to build a better and more harmonious future and not fall prey to sectarian forces lurking in the shadows of our baser nature.

Mirza A. Beg can be reached at mab64@yahoo.com, or http://mirzasmusings.blogspot.com/