Peaceor Reconciliation Without Justice??

Ayodhya Verdict--September 30 2010

While the cursory attempt by the Court to reconcile this dispute by dividing the land at Ayodhya threeways is welsome, disturbing questions remain.

What was being decided here was a civil dispute over land alone not matters of faith. What the Judges have done is speak on matters of faith not law while the two criminal cases over the illegal and unconstitutional demolition of the Babri Mosque, on 6.12.2002, in full public view, by political and religious leaders, are pending.

Through their silence on the criminal actions that illegally trespassed, that took human lives in the 1980s and 1990s aprt fom destoring a Mosque in public view, the Court has justified these acts which sets a dangerous precedent for the Rule of Law and the Indian Constitution.

Remmber Baba Laldas' interviews in Raam Ke Naam, a film by Anand Patwardhan when he analysed the motives behind the mobilisation for the Ram Temple movement, the kind of violence that led up to 6.1.2.1992. The RamJanmabhoomi movement does not reflect the faith of all Hindus but was a clever yet sinister ploy of parties like the RSS and the BJP to impinge on India as a secular democratic republic. The Courts have legitimised these violations of the law. Baba Laldas was mysteriously killed in 1993...He was the Court appointed iMahant who's bodyguard was removed by the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh.His suspicious death has also gone judicially unaddressed.
The Judgement has given legal sanction to brazenly barbaric politics of majoritarianism.

Teesta Setalvad, Mumbai