Ayodhya

[ramana]

Op-Ed inPioneer, 20 Sept.,2010

Ayodhya verdict must not disturb peace



The Union Government has done well to issue, much in advance, an appeal to the people to maintain peace and communal harmony irrespective of which way the Allahabad High Court’s verdict goes on the title suit of the land where the disputed Babri structure stood and where a resurrected Ram temple now exists. Millions of Hindus believe that Ram was born at the site in Ayodhya and a temple commemorating the birth of Maryada Purushottam existed prior to its destruction in 1528 by Babur’s army and the construction of what came to be known as Babri Masjid by Mir Baqi. The subsequent tussle for control over the land is far too well-documented and known to merit repetition; suffice to say that Hindu anger spilled over on December 6, 1992, when the disputed structure was demolished. In the intervening two decades, tempers have calmed down and a new generation of Indians has come of age in a society that is increasingly aspirational and less driven by issues that are to do with religion and religious identity. Hindu feel more confident and consequently less threatened; Muslims have come to realise that economic growth and development are far more important for their community’s welfare than violent bickering over a mosque that had fallen into disuse and which was never considered specially significant. Even the politics of caste and religious identity that dominated popular discourse and voting trends in the closing decade of the last century has yielded space to a different brand of politics centred on good governance. Hence, in this changed milieu there is really little cause to worry about popular response to the High Court’s verdict. What lends credence to this view is the great maturity shown by the RSS and the VHP which, even before the Government issued its appeal, declared that the Sangh Parivar would react to the judgement in a considered manner and within the democratic framework of constitutionalism. Moreover, both sides have acknowledged that Friday’s ruling can be contested in the Supreme Court and, hence, there is no reason to get carried away needlessly or betray misplaced emotion. In brief, neither triumphalism nor defeatism is called for. Having eschewed the option for a negotiated settlement and opted for a court-mandated resolution, neither side can now afford to cavil at the High Court’s judgement.



Seen in this context, there is no need to get hyper-active on the security front through massive deployment of paramilitary forces and by bringing normal life to a halt, especially in Uttar Pradesh. The State Government should take appropriate measures and ensure adequate security to prevent mischief-makers from instigating hoodlums, seeking to reignite flames that have long been put out. More importantly, the intelligence agencies should focus on collecting information that is reliable and actionable, and pass it on to the authorities responsible for maintaining law and order. It would also help if political parties, irrespective of their ideological difference, were to deploy their cadre with the intention of helping law-enforcement agencies and keeping hot-heads in control. Friday poses a litmus test for Indian society as a whole: If we are able to deal with the judgement without any adverse fallout than we would be seen as a responsible society.