Babri Masjid from inside as it was before demolition in December 1992

By IOL South Asia correspondent

NEW DELHI, February 6 (IslamOnline) - In a surprise move the Indian government filed an application in the Indian Supreme Court seeking the lift the ban on any religious activity on the land acquired by the government around the Babri mosque in the town of Ayodhya after its demolition in December 1992.

The government, in its application filed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday, February 5, sought the lifting of the apex court’s March 13, 2001, order last year given on the eve of Hindu extremists threats to start construction on what they call “undisputed land” in the guise of “Shiladaan” (brick offering) ceremony. The apex court in that order prohibited “any kind of religious activity” in the acquired land.

The government move to file an application before the Supreme Court seeking lifting of the stay was taken immediately after the meeting of the Prime Minister with the Hindu pontiff, Kanchi Shankaracharya, on Monday, February 3. The move was reportedly also discussed between Law Minister Arun Jaitley and the Shankaracharya.

The past week witnessed fresh moves by the federal government, the Shankaracharya, and some unidentified “Muslim leaders” to “resolve” the Babri Masjid issue. Extremist Hindu groups have begun threatening Muslims with “unimaginable consequences” if they refused to bow to blackmail.

Babri Masjid was located in the northern Indian town of Ayodhya. The four-century old mosque, one of the last specimens of Sarcene architecture, was demolished by a frenzied Hindu mob on December 6, 1992 as several of today’s top BJP leaders (now senior ministers in the federal government) cheered the crowds.

The crowd itself was gathered by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister LK Advani. The attack on the mosque triggered Hindu-Muslim riots all over India, leading to immense loss of Muslim life and property. Later, the violence spread to neighboring Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The main group spearheading the campaign to demolish the mosque make way for a  temple, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP-World Hindu Council), is threatening “great strife” if they are not allowed to construct a temple at the mosque site, claimed by these groups as the birthplace of Rama, their mythological god-king.

The Supreme Court of India ordered last year that no construction would be allowed at the site till cases regarding the mosque’s title and other issues were settled by courts. Following agitation by these groups, the government acquired nearly 67 acres of mostly Sunni Waqf land surrounding the mosque a decade ago. The VHP has been demanding that the government should hand over at least 40 acres of that land to its committee for building the proposed temple. Their propaganda claims this part of the land around the martyred mosque as “undisputed”, which is not the case.

Having failed to get the land legally, the VHP has started a campaign of intimidating Muslims to make them concede their unjust demand. The VHP has openly refused to honor court verdict in the case if it goes against their wishes, while Muslims have been reiterating their decision to abide by court verdict.

VHP leader Parveen Togadia, who has been using intemperate language against Muslims from public platforms and in media interviews, threatened them once again Monday, February 3, that there would be “ unimaginable consequences” of not handing over the mosque site and adjoining land for temple construction.

Other leaders of the organization have hinted at “Gujarat-like” anti-Muslim violence if they are not allowed to have their way. The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leading the coalition federal government is an affiliate of VHP, and very much of a partner in the temple movement. Being in government it cannot possibly act lawlessly like VHP.

Indian law does not allow government acquisition of property to build a place of worship, in this case the property of Muslims, to build a temple for Hindus. The 67 acres of land that the VHP has been clamoring to grab can legally be used only to build some school, hospital or other public institution, which does not have a sectarian and religious intent behind it. The VHP has been demanding that government should ignore the law and pass the land on to them.

One of the top Hindu clerics, Shankracharya Jaynendra Sarswati, met the prime minister Tuesday night, February 4, to advise him to break the deadlock. The media today reported that he pleaded for passing the government-acquired Sunni Waqf land to the VHP to build the temple. However, bound by law and clear Supreme Court orders, the government cannot possibly oblige him, although it would very much like to do that. The cleric is also reported to be meeting unnamed “ Muslim leaders” in this regard.

The destruction of the Babri Masjid

The idea is to get “permission” of some Muslim leaders for this plan and go to the Supreme Court with a plea to vacate its earlier order. But the Muslim community here is so much committed to the issue that no Muslim leader of any standing can dare take a stand against the Muslim consensus.

Media here reported Thursday, February 6, that senior ministers and bureaucrats were busy devising ways to pass the land on to these groups for temple construction despite clear constitutional provisions disallowing any such move. But that alone does not serve the purpose.

A way has to be found out to circumvent the orders of the Supreme Court not to start any construction at the site pending a verdict on the title suit regarding the mosque land. That can be overcome as these groups have earlier violated apex court orders in the same case.

To drum up support for its plans, the VHP has called a session of its dharma sansad (religious parliament) on February 23-24. Already they have started issuing threat to everybody (Muslims, Christians, liberals, common Indians) that the religious parliament will decide a date for the construction of the temple going against the constitution, national parliament, the supreme court and the law of the land. This will be done barely a few days ahead of state assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh near Delhi.

Such tactics also mobilize vote in support of BJP. The temple issue is revived before every election by these outfits.