Babri and Beyond- Are we ready to move on?

** This is the unedited version of my article published in 'The Statement'  my department magazine's 2011 issue**

“God can be kept in the solitary confinement of four walls”. The blasphemous nature of this statement would sure have an army of self appointed guardians of religion up in arms. But on the other hand there are these same people who have kept the country in an unnecessary crisis for over a century, leading to the bloodshed of thousands of innocents; just to get their “respective lords” confined within four walls.

The Babri Masjid that stood on the old and tired soils of Ayodhya until 6^th December 1992, has been the bone of contention between the Hindus and the Muslims for almost over two centuries. The disputed structure, which owing to its religious value should have been a place for seeking self realization, unfortunately became a reason for the loss of several lives due to the shallow mindedness of certain sections of both the religions.

The Britishers successfully used Babri to propagate their policy of ‘divide and rule’. Later it was the power hungry Indian politicians who used it for the same purpose. The major religious tension which started with minor skirmishes in and around the district of Faizabad grew up to become the reason behind something as detestable as the Godhra riots over a time period of few decades only. All this just because of the rigid and shallow mentality of certain people who vehemently tend to ignore the omnipresence of God; something that is preached by the scriptures of both the religions.

The Indian politicians, who should have thrived to make the secular fabric of the country stronger, post independence; gave impetus to the whole issue, instigated the masses to a peak of pandemonium and brought the nation to a civil war like situation to get their political motives served.

Now even after almost two decades of the demolition of the Babri Mosque, politicians from all the parties continue to stir this simmering cauldron just to gain the maximum possible political mileage. Sentiment arousing statements, blame games and mud slinging make the whole picture as despicable as it can be imagined. The ones allegedly involved in the demolition of the disputed structure and the ones claiming to be the champions of Babri Mosque and hence secularism, are both hands in gloves in the matter and therefore none out of them is a saint. Camouflaging themselves behind their respective masks of Hindutva and Secularism, both of them just have an intention of grabbing the big seat of political power by making the Babri issue as a ladder upto the coveted spot. The interesting thing here is that none are actually themselves following the ideologies they supposedly claim to propagate in public. Had they done so, such unfortunate events would have never occurred.

No one can deny the fact that in this time when India is at the threshold to create its own niche in the global affairs, there are other imperative issues which need to be sorted out. It is indeed pitiful and at the same time shocking that even in this crucial gestation period, our politicians are busy wasting hours and energy over creating vote banks by the means of the whole issue.

But why blame the politicians alone. The Indian media is nowhere even near to being pious when it comes to creating frenzied sentiments over the Babri issue. Yes the media, which is the fourth estate of our great constitution, has effectively used the issue to emerge victorious in the skewed game of TRPs. With heated debates in the news rooms, live coverage of even each and every bird flying inside the court on the days of hearing and loud and screaming broadcast of every statement made by the leaders, media has done it all that could create hysteria capable enough of arousing a religious fervour in a very wrong direction. It’s for sure that any sensible person would be out of adjectives to show their contempt towards such acts of immaturity.

Unfortunately, the much neglected truth is that the pertinence of the whole issue does not lie in dragging it on for centuries and ages by even trying to find out who was at fault or whether what happened on 6^th December 1992 was right or wrong. It quintessentially lies in finding out the best amicable solution to this big conundrum. It should not be that difficult for the masses to fathom that it’s high time the politicians stop using Babri as a political tool.

If not everyone, then at least the pragmatic youth of the twenty first century India should let the bygone be bygone. It would not at all be prudent and in the interest of the nation to go for a reminder of the bitter past, time and again; and at least the youth must understand this. They should make their best possible efforts to restore back the lost harmony and reinstate the formation of a peaceful social structure which makes sure that such incidents are not repeated in future. Because the India which lies beyond the Babri and other related issues, is the one which is ready to unleash its potential and become a harbinger of a new renaissance in the word. And this is possible only if the youth wants and strives. Now the onus completely lies on them. The question is, are they ready for the big task???