December 6, 1992 in retrospect
December 6,. 1992 has gone in the annals of independent India's history as a historical date that changed the entire narrative political, social and religious discourse in the region. While the majority Indians considered the demolition of disputed structure called ‘Babri Mosque’ at the very site of the birthplace of Lord Sri Ram erasing a ‘dark spot’ in the history, the left-secular-progressive (LSP) brigade termed it as ‘national shame’. However, the recent Supreme Court judgment proved that majority of Indians had viewed it correctly defeating the LSP narrative.
In the light of the Supreme Court verdict it is imperative to view the sequence of events that led to wiping out the dark spot in our history and upholding the eternal truth.
It is established beyond doubt that the hordes of invaders, especially the Islamic invaders, had demolished thousands of temples, desecrated idols, killed millions of innocent Hindus and molested equal number of women in their quest to bring India under the umbrella of Islam. Prominent among them are Sri Ram Janmasthan at Ayodhya, Sri Krishna Janmasthan at Matura and Sri Kashi Vishwanath temple.
The government of independent India was in the hands of the Congress leadership and for want of Muslim vote bank they allowed this injustice for Hindus to continue for decades. However, the Hindus were always feeling humiliated and insulted to see their national heroes and ideals in bad condition. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) took the lead, garnered the support of the sadhus and sant mahatmas and inspired common masses to join the movement for liberation of Sri Ram Janmasthan at Ayodhya. This movement culminated in demolition of disputed structure called Babri Mosque on December 6, 1992.
History tells us that the temple existed at this place was demolished by the commander of Babur’s army, Mir Banki in 1528 AD. He constructed a mosque there and named it after his master Babur which was clearly in violation of Islamic tenets which forebode naming a mosque after any individual.
But the Hindus did not take it lying down. They launched struggles to recapture the birth place and continuously fought with all their might. Finally, on 23rd December 1949, they succeeded placing idols of Sri Ram Lala and started offering prayers and puja regularly in addition of round the clock ‘kirtan’.
The Hindus made 76 attacks to recapture the birth place at Ayodhya before the VHP took the issue in its control. In the continued battles more than 300,000 men and women sacrificed their lives but they could not get success.
The VHP resorted to democratic means to create public awareness and constituted Sriram Janmabhumi Mukti Yagya Samiti; took out Sri Ram-Janki Rathyatra in 1984 from Sitamarhi to Ayodhya. They demanded to open the lock at Sri Ramjanmabhumi which the government of the day agreed on February 1, 1986.
Following the initial success the VHP embarked on ambition Rsm Shila Pujan Yatras in 1989 and the bricks collected from all over the country were brought to Ayodhya for the construction of a grand temple to be built at the birth place of Lord Ram. The ‘Shilanyas’ for the new temple was performed on November 9, 1989 as the state and central government had to bow to the public pressure.
Construction of temple was not possible unless the disputed structure was removed from there. The Hindu leaders offered to the Muslims to remove this structure scientifically to some other location. But the government was more considerate towards the Muslim vote bank and urged the VHP and Hindus to wait for the court verdict on this matter. VHP was of the view that it was beyond the purview of the courts to decide matters related to faith. In view of the obstinate stand of the government the Hindus again started their agitation in more intense way.
It was decided to perform Karseva at the disputed site in 1990 when Uttar Pradesh was under the rule of Samajwadi Party headed by Mulayam Singh Yadav. His government tried every possible way to stop the Karseva but crossing all hurdles in their way the brave Hindu youth reached Ayodhya and hurled Saffron Flag on one of the domes in Ayodhya on 29th October. The Mulayam Government fired at these Karsevaks and killed hundreds of them whose bodies were flown into the Sarayu River secretely. Two Kothari brothers of Kolkatta martyred at the spot in this firing.
However, lakhs of youth who gathered for Karseva from across the country were getting impatient due to the unnecessary and inordinate delay caused by the courts in deciding the mater. They did not wait for the court to decide the matter and destroyed the symbol of insult, injustice and slavery that stood thousands of years at that spot liberating the Lord Ram from the bondage and constructing a make-shift temple where the idols were installed and puja was performed.
The recent Supreme Court verdict also endorsed the existence of Ram Mandir upholding the faith of the Hindus by accepting the title claim of Sri Ram Lala at the birth place paving the way for construction of the grand temple there.
