Ayodhya issue: A 490 years old insignia of Hindu identity struggle.
- In History & Culture
- 08:45 AM, Apr 25, 2018
- Vijay Dwivedi
Often in the public discourse, leftist historians and Muslim organizations don't miss the opportunity to trivialize the Ram Janmabhoomi temple issue. Conveniently, the problem is dated back to 1992 Dec 6th, the day when Babri Masjid demolition took place. Though in a healthy state of things, razing could have been termed as a law and order failure. The Babri Masjid demolition has been used to gloss over the 100s of temple demolitions that happened in Kashmir during Pandit exodus. Similarly, 100s of temple demolished after Babri Masjid demolition are considered a reasonable course of action. An attempt has been made through various communication channels over the years to remove the historical, sociological and archaeological evidence of a Ram temple pre-Babri masjid era.
The core body of evidence supporting the existence of a Ram temple in Ayodhya are scriptures of various religions, evidence produced by ASI after digging trenches around the Janmabhoomi sites. These shreds of evidence are present for long but since India's independence communists have been able to phoo phoo the claim with the entrenched ecosystem. The admission of the various evidence by Allahabad High Court and its reproduction in the judgment settles the debate on the authenticity of these corroborations. The data that is present in public domain puts the date of Ram Mandir temple demolition on orders of Babar to CE 1528. An oft-quoted proof that a temple existed before Mir Baqi built a mosque is Guru NanakDevs' travel to Ayodhya in 1526 wherein he went to Ram Janmasthan temple. This event is documented in Sikh texts. If one goes into the lanes of Ayodha, the residents recount just not one communal riot post-1992 but 76 of them after CE 1528.
Hindu community for long has tried the path of negotiated settlement. Earliest of this goes to the year 1857.
During the 1857 mutiny, per some accounts, Hindus came together on an arrangement with the Muslim leadership of Ayodhya. It was agreed that for supporting Bahadur Shah Zafar as the leader of the struggle, the Rama temple would be restored on Janambhoomi site. As the events would turn out, British overpowered the uprising, and the deal between the two community went nowhere. For last 70 years, the Ayodhya Ram temple agitation has been led by VHP, RSS, Hindu Mahasabha, Nirmohi Akhara and Sri Ramjanmabhoomi Mukti Yagna Samiti to name a few. Most of the Hindu organizations are now waiting for the SC verdict with the confidence that court will deliver the title suit in their favor. They have turned battle weary after years of attempt to settle the dispute out of court. Vishwa Hindu Parishad was formed in1964, and since then till 1992, there were enough attempts at peaceful settlement of Ayodhya issue. Govt backed negotiations to resolve Ayodhya started from Late PM Rajeev Gandhi times. Nirmohi Akhara saints, Mahant Avaidyanath, Swami Satyamitranand, VHP leaders used to lead these conversations. While AIMPLB from Muslim side. These discussions continued during the tenure of Chandrasekhar and VP Singh as well.
In these meetings, there was a time when both Hindus and Muslims agreed to bring experts to back their claim. Hindus with the claim that a temple pre-existed before Mosque. And Muslims with the position that Mosque was built from scratch. After many attempts in the meetings, it became apparent that AIMPLB and their negotiators were shifting goal posts. Often these meetings would not have any experts from the Muslim side. Eventually, these meetings did not bear any fruit, and most attempts for a peaceful negotiation saw the end of the day. After the Mosque demolition, there were many attempts for Ram temple construction, but none bore fruits as Muslims made it part of their identity politics.
Recent moves by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of Art of Living Foundation to have the peaceful negotiation for Ayodhya is appreciable but fraught with apparent risk. Rabid, radical faction of AIMPLB has been clinically targetting everybody from Nadwi to Maulana Tauqeer Raza. The same game that played in the late 80s when Late Syed Shahabuddin of Babri Masjid action committee offered to give away Ayodhya land for temple construction. He was heavily criticized within the community and had to give up his offer. Most sane Muslim voices are meeting the similar fate. One of the most despicable faces of Muslim bigotry has gone so far to ask Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's arrest.
Sri Sri on his part has been doing extra mile. Getting concessions from Nadwi who at one point sent the letter to Abu Bakr Baghdadi in support of Caliphate or Maulana Tauqeer who has repeatedly been blamed for rousing communal sentiments is no mean feat. He must be given credit for treading half the bridge. In past few months by his own account, he has met 500 Muslim clerics and Mahants to resolve the issue. In retrospect, the previous negotiations have suffered as Muslim representation has always been seen as a monolithic entity which is AIMPLB. To some extent, AIMPLB has used this to their advantage. Sri Sri's outreach does not limit itself to AIMPLB which is dominated by Deobandis but to Barelvi school, Dar ul Uloom, Sufis, Shias, and Muslim leaders from down South. By increasing the base of Muslim stakeholders, the dominance of AIMPLB in these negotiations can be reduced.
Also, Sri Sri's Syria comment must be seen in the light of how vulnerable our internal security situation is. We must not forget how whole of Mumbai was seized by Raza academy goons who went on to ransack Amar Jawan Jyoti in Azaad Maidan. Whole govt machinery could not control the lawlessness. Even if the judgment is favorable, it will be tough to implement the orders. A negotiated solution by Sri Sri though late may still be our best chance for construction of grand Ram temple in Janambhoomi for which Hindus all over the world are waiting for 490 years
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