The facts preceding the demolition of the Babri Masjid are simple. The masjid wasassaulted twice. In 1990, bjp-backed kar sevaks broke through police barricades set up bychief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and hoisted a saffron flag atop the mosque. Ham-handedofficial action led to scores of kar sevaks being killed in police firing.
Later, the BJP's Kalyan Singh replaced Mulayam Singh as chief minister. The karsevaks led by Advani, accompanied by bjp and vhp leaders, again entered the mosque. Theyhad pledged no harm would come to the mosque. But on the fateful day, from an adjacentstage, the leaders exhorted the kar sevaks. Advani presided on the dais. The mob wentberserk. It demolished the mosque. It went on a rampage. It burnt houses and killed over ascore of Muslims residing in Ayodhya.
From this, people might easily conclude that Advani and colleagues were guilty. Ah,that is where people would be wrong. Thanks to the depositions made in the LiberhanCommission of Inquiry, it transpires that the guilt lay elsewhere.
V.P. Singh was guilty. Why didn't he solve the Ayodhya dispute in 1990 when he hadthe chance? Why did he withdraw the ordinance to acquire land adjacent to the mosque?After that, what option did the poor kar sevaks have except to demolish the mosque?
Narasimha Rao was guilty. Why didn't he defy chief minister Kalyan Singh and orderthe central police to forcibly intervene? Without a restraining hand, how could the poorkar sevaks know when to stop?
The judges were guilty. Why did they delay the verdict in the court case regarding theacquisition of land near the mosque? How long could the poor kar sevaks remain insuspense?
Rajiv Gandhi was guilty. Why did he allow access to the Ram idol placed in the mosquedecades earlier? That really encouraged the start of the Ayodhya movement.
Rajiv Gandhi was doubly guilty. Why did he upset the court verdict in the Shah Banocase? That really provoked the Ayodhya movement.
Only Advani was innocent. He became a victim. The demolition was the"saddest" event of his life. The entry into the mosque by kar sevaks was the"happiest". Between his grief and bliss, have we missed something?
The mosque lies demolished. But so does the honour of Hindu society.
At times I'm saddest,
At times I'm gladdest,
But never the maddest
To admit I'm baddest!
