Image: GettyImages
Image: GettyImagesJust a few days after the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, right wing outfits affiliated to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have decided to organize large scale events across Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to honour kar sevaks who had died or were incarcerated while trying to bring down the Babri mosque in Ayodhya in 1990, The Times of India reported.
The events that were set to begin on December 8, will be held in different districts in the states throughout the week till December 12.
Speaking to the TOI, Manoj Verma, VHP’s ‘kshetriya sanghathan mantri’ for western UP and Uttarakhand said, “In Aligarh, Meerut, Sambhal and 13 other districts, the events will be held on December 8. In some other districts, including Moradabad, the event will be held on December 10. In Haridwar, the function will be held on December 12.”
Gaurav Sharma, city convenor of the Bajrang Dal in Aligarh said, “Large-scale events will be organised to honour kar sevaks, who were either killed or sent to jail in 1990 during the Mulayam Singh Yadav regime. Here, we will honour 256 kar sevaks.”
Meanwhile, on Friday, December 6, the VHP and Bajrang Dal organised a ‘havan’ at their district office in Aligarh to celebrate the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition. This, even after the district authorities had strictly advised the Hindu organisations to refrain from observing ‘shaurya diwas’ that day.
Last month, after the Ayodhya land dispute verdict by the Supreme Court was pronounced in favour of the Hindus, saffron outfits had distinctly mentioned that they would not observe the day as ‘shaurya diwas’ in a bid to maintain communal harmony.
However, when asked about the same, VHP’s Aligarh unit ‘vibhag mantri’ Ram Kumar Arya said that the event wasn’t a celebration and it was just a prayer offered for the early construction of the Ram temple. “We didn’t want to disturb the law and order situation in town and only offered prayers to God,” he said.
Citing that they were following the administration’s orders and were not ‘celebrating’ the day. “Despite the Supreme Court ruling in favour of a Ram temple, we were instructed not to make any kind of celebrations today said Gaurav Sharma.
Speaking of a banner that was being put up by these outfits in celebration of ‘shaurya diwas’, CB Singh, district magistrate of Aligarh said, “Everything was organised in closed doors, so no action was taken against them.”
Yet, there were reports of the Bajrang Dal and the VHP celebrating the 27th anniversary of the demolition of the Babri mosque as ‘shaurya diwas’ in Gorakhpur’s Daudpur area.
The Hindu reported that members of both the right wing outfits had gathered at the Kali temple in the area reciting the Hanuman Chalisa. VHP city president Vijay Khemka appealed to the Hindus to come forward and work to increase the community’s awareness. While addressing the gathering of followers at the temple, Bajrang Dal office-bearer Durgesh Tripathi said that in 1528, Emperor Babar’s commander Mir Baqi had demolished the Ram temple and constructed a mosque in its place to symbolize victory. He added that the Hindu ancestors had fought 76 battles for the construction of the temple. “On December 6, 1992, a wave from the Hindu community erased the symbol of insult and this year on November 9, the Supreme Court cleared the hindrance in the way of the construction of a Ram temple.”
The Ayodhya land dispute verdict was announced by the Supreme Court in the favour of the construction of a temple at the disputed site on November 9, 2019. It had directed the Central government to grant the Muslim parties a 5 acre piece of land for the construction of a mosque at a prominent locality in Ayodhya. However, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board released a press statement that five review petitions as part of the community’s quest for justice had been filed post the verdict.
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) that observed ‘yaum-e-gham’ or ‘black day’ on December 6, said that the authorities must punish those (kar sevaks) behind the razing of the disputed structure and handed a memorandum to the City Magistrate Umesh Mishra regarding the same. AIMIM’s District President Mohd. Islam said that the hearing of cases of the accused in the Babri mosque demolition must be fast-tracked and organisations like the RSS, Bajrang Dal and Hindu Mahasabha must be banned.
The Hindu Mahasabha, just three days after the Supreme Court verdict had demanded that the Centre withdraw all cases against kar sevaks and award them with a ‘martyr’ status. It also has plans to file a review petition in the SC against its decision to allocate the 5 acre alternative plot to the Muslims.
During the sensitive time around the announcement of the verdict, these Hindutva outfits had sought to portray a different, more tolerant view with regards to the matter of the land dispute. However, after backtracking on its promises and holding celebrations, demanding the quashing of cases against kar sevaks and lauding them, even after know the bloodbath that ensued after the demolition, they have revealed their simmering hate towards the minorities once again one way or the other.