Hindustan Times
When Kar Sewaks shamed the country
The much delayed submission of the Liberhan’s commission brought back memories of that fateful day when the disputed structure of Babri Masjid was brought down by Kar Sewaks belonging to the Sangh Parivar in the presence of some leading BJP leaders on December 6,1992.
I had rejoined the Times of India as the Metropolitan Editor barely three weeks earlier after a six and half years stint at The Hindu where I had the opportunity to cover the Ayodhya developments very closely as also the BJP which was very proud of its hindutva agenda at that time. I had thought that the threat by the Sanghis was very superficial and there would be no harm to the historic structure. But when I came into the office a little after 11 am some disturbing news had started coming in. With a couple of hours it was clear that the Babri Masjid was no longer standing at its original place and the Kar Sewaks had carried out their threat. It was one of the darkest days in Indian history.
I remember Dileep Padgaonkar, the Editor of the paper, Badshah Sen, the RE and late Arvind Das, senior editor all very perturbed. There was total silence on the editorial floor and no one could believe that such a thing had happened. A feeling of uncertainty was all over and there were apprehensions that the incident would cause a huge communal divide and riots may break out. Fortunately, Mukund Kaushal, the then Delhi Police Commissioner who had the reputation of being an excellent manager of men was personally supervising the situation. He had overseen the deployment at the walled city in the capital and had passed strict instructions to his team to come down heavily on anyone who tried to create mischief.
Kaushal’s plan succeeded in most parts of the city except in North East Delhi where clashes took place between the police and a Muslim mob and at least seven persons died in police firing. Deepak Mishra, the DCP and his additional DCP Ajay Kashyap were accused of ordering firing on a retreating mob. However, the silver lining was that Delhi was totally under control unlike some other cities where the fall out was much more severe. Mumbai for one saw one of the worst riots.
It was Kaushal’s victory in the capital and he would have been happier like all of us if the police firing had not taken place near the Qabootar Market in the vicinity of Seelampur and Chauhan Bangar. The incident there was covered extremely well by both Chandrika Mago (now with the Mint) and Yashwant Raj (now RE of HT’s Delhi edition). Both of them were TOI’s crime reporters at that point of time.
There was a lot happening at the center and knives were out for PV Narasimha Rao who was the Prime Minister. There was strong speculation that Rao maybe forced to quit but he somehow survived since most of his Cabinet ministers lacked the courage of conviction. Makhan Lal Fotedar was perhaps the only one who tendered his resignation from the Cabinet. Arjun Singh who all along kept threatening to resign stayed in the government.
Many political observers till this day believe that had Arjun Singh resigned on that day, he would have been Prime Minister of the country subsequently. But history is a narration of many ifs and buts. Arjun Singh lost his only chance and now of course after the 2009 verdict is sitting on the sidelines and watching new things unfold.
But the demolitions had left an emotional divide and top BJP leaders LK Advani and Murali Manohar Joshi amongst others were cited as accused in the FIR that was registered in connection with the Babri demolition.
I recall that one fine winter morning not too long after the demolition, I got a call from Badshah Sen, my immediate Boss. Badshah was very excited as he told me that Padgaonkar had been tipped off by Arun Shourie that Advani was going to be arrested. I rushed to Advani’s house at Pandara Park and saw that the entire place had been cordoned off. There were police personnel in the entire VIP area. I managed to reach the house and was able to go on the first floor where a nervous Advani was talking to some of his party colleagues surrounded by his immediate family members. There were police officers waiting to take him away but the arrest was delayed because o0f conferencing amongst the top BJP top brass.
Finally, Advani came down and I followed him closely till he sat in a police car to be whisked away to an unknown destination. I remember, the BBC, throughout the day kept on showing clips of his final arrest and I could also see myself in my blue jacket in those clips. The India Today later also published the photograph of Advani being arrested on its cover. I still have the issue since I too figured in the picture walking besides him.
The politics of this country could never be the same again. The matter continues to haunt the political scenario till this day. But one thing became very clear that the BJP did not have much support amongst the masses. When Advani and Joshi were ultimately released many weeks later, they reached the New Delhi railway station in the early hours of the morning. I was amongst those who went to the station to cover their arrival. I can tell you that there were only five to six hundred people to receive them. Maybe the Sangh too realized that it was a shameful deed done by the Kar Sewaks on that fateful day and the deed did not get endorsement from the people of the capital.
(4 votes, average: 3 out of 5)
Loading ...Posted by Pankaj Vohra on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Filed under New Delhi · Tagged Ayodhya, babri, babri demolition, Babri masjid, BJP leaders, Kar sewaks, Liberhan commission's report
Dear Pankaj ji,
A very painful and shameful incident indeed not any less disturbing than 1984 killings in wake of assassination of late PM Indira Gandhi. But will Indian politicians and bureaucrats ever learn their lessons and take corrective actions????? Though British have left in 1947 their descendants power hungry Indian politicians and bureaucrats continue to Divide and Rule in name of religion, promote casteism, urban-rural divide and generally make Indians lives worse. Even when we have triple threats of Pakistan, China and terrorism -Congress and BJP have not woken up-Central Ministers portfolios are based on chamchagiri and loyalty rather than competence!!!
As Congress and BJP Governments have proved repeatedly -Justice delayed is justice denied and cancer which will continue to haunt Indian polity for decades to come:
1)What happened to Srikrishna commission report in Mumbai where no action was taken-used by Congress for political mileage and thrown away like used tissue paper?
2)Liberhan commission is another eyewash.
Indians will continue to pay for corruption, nepotism and carassness of the Indian political leadership whic has neither class, competence nor shame!
Regards
Ram
Singapore
[Reply]
A.S. Reply:
July 2nd, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Sir,
The write-up was interesting. The replies to the sanghis was apt and to the point.
A.S
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Pankaj very poor piece of article.
The karsevaks did was really good. The wrong was done by Babur the invader, the robber.
Do you know how many temples were destroyed by these mullah rulers? Ayodhya, kashi, mathura are sacred to hindus just like Mecca and Meddina are to Muslims. I ask you one thing:
1. Tell me how many temples, churches, synagouges, and monasteries in Saudi Arabia ?
2. Tell me where have people from other minorities have gone in all the muslim(arabia, iran, eqypt, turkey countries ?
3. Could’t Babur had made mosque at other place ?
4. Why Jews can’t even visit Mecca and Meddina ?
There are not problems with muhammadans but infact ISLAM itself is a problem. See they are creating troubles from East Timore, Phillipines, Thailand, Bali, Sinkiang (China) Chechanya (Russia), somalia, sudan, kosovo, etc.
What ever RSS did was a reaction against hundreds years of oppression. Remember first time the karsevaks tried to destroy babri masjid was in 1853.
History repeats itself. These muslim invaders converted many of our ancestors through force of sword, wasn’t that wrong ?
You are a psedu secular intellectual just like leftists(Karat, Yechury etc.) and congress. Your objective is only to garner some praise from minority.
Hope you will take trouble to reply my questions ?
Vande Matram
[Reply]
Pankaj Vohra do you have any reply for following questions ?
1. Why are only Muslims allowed to visit the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia?
2. What is the religious duty (according to quran ) of a Muslim residing in a non muslim majority country( e.g. India ) when there is war with an ISLAMIC country (Pakistan ) ?
Please give straight forwrd answers, and don’t give any other lateral explainations.
I hope you will reply.
Jai Hind
[Reply]
Pankaj Vohra Reply:
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:55 pm
If you expect me to answer any oif these questions you must be out of your mind. Being a Sanghi you should know the answers yourself. Secondly, the blog is not about Islam or its critcism. It is about an event which took place nearly 17 years ago and how it created a huge uprorar. It was indeed shameful. I am not here to defend Babar or anybody else. These invasions took place and it is a historic fact. You cannot undo history. You must be forward looking and you cannot live in the past and take revenge for what you perceive to be wrong many centuries ago. Hindutva teaches us to carry on with our duties by looking forward. It is all about Nishkam Karam Yoga. You must learn to have a positive attitude if you wish to be a good hindu. There is no point spewing hatred for others. There is nothing pseudo secular in my thinking. IOt is your pseudo hinduism which is the problem. First understand the blog and then spew venom. Brgds.
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DR.KAZMI Reply:
July 3rd, 2009 at 4:48 pm
WELL MR.SANJEEV . LET ME TELL YOU THAT IT IS THE DUTY OF EVERY CITIZEN OF INDIA TO DEFEND HIS COUNTRY , WHEN INDIA IS AT WAR WITH ANY COUNTRY, RELIGION OF A CITIZEN IS IMMATERIAL. AND ANOTHER THING ,IF A PERSON IS A MUSLIM IT DOES NOT MEAN , THAT HE OR SHE IS ANY LESS INDIAN THAN YOU. I LIKE ANY OTHER INDIAN MUSLIM , AM A VERY PROUD INDIAN, AND I DO NOT SEE ANY CONTRADICTION IN BEING A MUSLIM AND BEING A GOOD INDIAN CITIZEN
JAI HIND
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Pankaj,
whether you agree or not - at least 33% of hindus agree with / actively support the Hindutva agenda.
Sorry but thats just the way it is.
While people like yourself maybe rubbing your hands in glee at the Congress’ recent Lok Sabha performance (>how much was due to poor leadership in Advani? and how much was poor strategy?), the fact remains that BJP still governs in 8 states (3 major ones in Gujarat,MP and Karnataka) and has >100 LS seats (all core hindu votes).
So, maybe you should rephrase to “when kar sevaks shamed the ’secularist ideal’ of India and the muslim community”…
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Pankaj Vohra Reply:
July 2nd, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Now I wonder how did you reach this figure of 33 percent. I would say that every Indian supports the hindutva agenda but not the agenda of the BJP or the Sangh Parivar. Hindutva for every Indian means tolerance for others and allowing plurality to exist. Hindutva is not aboyut a single pointb of view. There are several dimensions to everything. Holi for instance can be played with colours, mud, gulal and sandal wood. You should not try to create an impression that the muddy holi is the real holi. If you think about hindutva think about the Gita, Swami Vivekanand, Sri Aurobindo and so many other great luminaries. Do not bind hinduism to the beliefs of one organisation whose aim is to exploit religion to grasp power. Rise above these petty things. The country is above everything else. The blog is not about the good or badperfornce of the BJP in elections. It is about that shameful act on that fateful day. Understand first and than respond. Brgds.
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It was on the day of the demolition, watching the images on television, that I decided I never wanted to be represented by sword flashing Kar Sevaks — that is not the brand of Hinduism (or Hindutva) that goes with this country’s ethos. Hinduism is a way of life and I do not want to be flashing swords all my life. I would rather follow Swami Vivekananda
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Pankaj
It was because of people like you that nearly 33 percent of our ancestors got converted to this alien ideology of Islam. Whether you accept it or not ISLAM is the problem of civilized world today.
People like you just know one thing, if some one is conscious to his culture you brand them as sanghis. If you think being conscious to one’s culture is called “sanghi”, then I am proud to be labelled as sanghi. If muslims ask for their version of barbaric laws (called SHARIA) then people like you will support them in the name of Minority Rights. You are a biggest hypocrite.
But i know this is your excuse of evading answers to my questions.
You are not competent to write blogs for HT. If you are being paid for this then you must give reply to every question relating to theme. How Ayodhya which is most sacred to Hindus different from Mecca ? I know people like you are so called intellectual and liberal hindus. You will not do not do anything even if someone does cold murder to our motherland.
Don’t judge them whether they are sanghis or Bajrang Dal, rather your work is to answer queries.
Write a next blog titled magnitude of muslim demolitions of hindu temples in pakistan and bangladesh and then say shame for banladesh and pakistan.
Wake up before it is too late.
[Reply]
Pankaj Vohra Reply:
July 3rd, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Why are you acting in the most unintelligent manner. Your questions make it very clear that you already have a mindset which cannot change. You are free to believe in what you think. Do not be a prisoner of time. You are ill informed on many issues so do not go harping on Ayodhya and Mecca. How have you come to the conclusion that Ayodhya is most sacred for the Hindus. Many Hindus find Hardwar to be most sacred. Wake up man. Open the windows of your mind. First read the blog and then comment. You are trying to fit an agenda for no reason. Hope you will try and understand yourself before sitting on judgement over others. Have nice day. Brgds.
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Pankaj read this piece of article:
Excerpts From Dr. Peter Hammond’s book: Slavery,Terrorism and Islam: The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat .
Islamization begins when there are sufficient Muslims in a country to agitate for their religious privileges. When politically correct, tolerant, and culturally diverse societies agree to Muslim demands for their religious privileges, some of the other components tend to creep in as …. As long as the Muslim population remains around or under 2% in any given country, they will be for the most part be regarded as a peace-loving minority, and not as a threat to other citizens.
This is the case in:
United States � Muslim 0.6%
Australia � Muslim 1.5%
Canada � Muslim 1.9%
China � Muslim 1.8%
Italy � Muslim 1.5%
Norway � Muslim 1.8%
At 2% to 5%, they begin to proselytize ( To induce someone to convert to one’s own religious faith ) from other ethnic minorities and disaffected groups, often with major recruiting from the jails and among street gangs. This is happening in:
Denmark � Muslim 2%
Germany � Muslim 3.7%
United Kingdom � Muslim 2.7%
Spain � Muslim 4%
Thailand � Muslim 4.6%
From 5% on, they exercise an inordinate influence in proportion to their percentage of the population. For example, they will push for the introduction of halal (clean by Islamic standards) food, thereby securing food preparation jobs for Muslims. They will increase pressure on supermarket chains to feature halal on their shelves along with threats for failure to comply. This is occurring in:
France � Muslim 8%
Philippines � Muslim 5%
Sweden � Muslim 5%
Switzerland � Muslim 4.3%
The Netherlands � Muslim 5.5%
Trinidad & Tobago � Muslim 5.8%
At this point, they will work to get the ruling government to allow them to rule themselves (within their ghettos) under Sharia, the Islamic Law. The ultimate goal of Islamists is to establish Sharia law over the entire world.
When Muslims approach 10% of the population, they tend to increase lawlessness as a means of complaint about their conditions. In Paris, we are already seeing car-burnings.
Any non-Muslim action offends Islam, and results in uprisings and threats, such as in Amsterdam , with opposition to Mohammed cartoons and films about Islam. Such tensions are seen daily, particularly in Muslim sections, in:
Guyana � Muslim 10%
India � Muslim 13.4%
Israel � Muslim 16%
Kenya � Muslim 10%
Russia � Muslim 15%
After reaching 20%, nations can expect hair-trigger rioting, jihad militia formations, sporadic killings, and the burnings of Christian churches and Jewish synagogues, such as in:
Ethiopia � Muslim 32.8%
At 40%, nations experience widespread massacres, chronic terror attacks, and ongoing militia warfare, such as in:
Bosnia � Muslim 40%
Chad � Muslim 53.1%
Lebanon � Muslim 59.7%
From 60%, nations experience unfettered persecution of non-believers of all other religions (including non-conforming Muslims), sporadic ethnic cleansing (genocide), use of Sharia Law as a weapon, and Jizya, the tax placed on infidels, such as in:
Albania � Muslim 70%
Malaysia � Muslim 60.4%
Qatar � Muslim 77.5%
Sudan � Muslim 70%
After 80%, expect daily intimidation and violent jihad, some State-run ethnic cleansing, and even some genocide, as these nations drive out the infidels, and move toward 100% Muslim, such as has been experienced and in some ways is on-going in:
Bangladesh � Muslim 83%
Egypt � Muslim 90%
Gaza � Muslim 98.7%
Indonesia � Muslim 86.1%
Iran � Muslim 98%
Iraq � Muslim 97%
Jordan � Muslim 92%
Morocco � Muslim 98.7%
Pakistan � Muslim 97%
Palestine � Muslim 99%
Syria � Muslim 90%
Tajikistan � Muslim 90%
Turkey � Muslim 99.8%
United Arab Emirates � Muslim 96%
100% will usher in the peace of ‘Dar-es-Salaam’ � the Islamic House of Peace. Here there’s supposed to be peace, because everybody is a Muslim, the Madrasses are the only schools, and the Koran is the only word, such as in:
Afghanistan � Muslim 100%
Saudi Arabia � Muslim 100%
Somalia � Muslim 100%
Yemen � Muslim 100%
Unfortunately, peace is never achieved, as in these 100% states the most radical Muslims intimidate and spew hatred, and satisfy their blood lust by killing less radical Muslims, for a variety of reasons.
‘Before I was nine I had learned the basic canon of Arab life. It was me against my brother; me and my brother against our father; my family against my cousins and the clan; the clan against the tribe; the tribe against the world, and all of us against the infidel.
Leon Uris, ‘The Haj’ It is important to understand that in some countries, with well under 100% Muslim populations, such as France, the minority Muslim populations live in ghettos of their
choosing, within which they are 100% Muslim, and within which they live by Sharia Law. The national police do not even enter these ghettos. There are no national courts nor schools nor non-Muslim religious facilities. In such situations, Muslims do not integrate into the community at large. The children attend madrasses. They learn only the Koran. To even associate with an infidel is a crime punishable with death. Therefore, in some areas of certain nations, Muslim Imams and extremists exercise more power than the national average would indicate.
Today’s 1.5 billion Muslims make up 22% of the world’s population. But their birth rates dwarf the birth rates of Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, and Jews, and all other believers. Muslims will exceed 50% of the world’s population by the end of this century.
[Reply]
Babri Masjid is indeed one of the darkest chapters in independent India’s democratic history. I was rather young back then, so my conscious memories of the time aren’t substantial. However, your account does remind one why Babri Masjid has been such an blot on our civil society!
There has sadly been a rather noticeable movement towards the extreme right on the ideological spectrum in the last couple of decades, cutting across religious lines. Assertion of religious identity has come to be associated with insulting, tarnishing and villifying other religions. It is upsetting to see religion, which is a channel for morality, peace and harmony becoming an excuse for murder and destruction!
On that note, I’d also like to mention that it is rather disgusting to read some of the comments made on your blog. Such comments reek of a narrow, uneducated and ignorant mind. I don’t think they ought to be taken seriously enough to merit any kind of reply, since any rational arguments would merely fall on deaf ears.
[Reply]
Happy Lotus Reply:
July 9th, 2009 at 1:32 am
Couldn’t agree with you more - some of these commentators are indeed disgusting, not just ignorant but also uninformed if not ill informed most of the time. Painful to read their narrow, parochial comments. Why don’t informed intelligent people write in more often?
[Reply]
A very good reminder of shameful and embarassing act done by kar sevaks (or Ram sevaks). It was really surprising how they got to that place in such large numbers and with all paraphernelia without the knowledge of he administration. It was clear that everybody played their role perfectly. Kalyan Singh allowed Kar sevaks to rein the turbulence, Narsimha Rao despite knowing the ground realities tried to be ignorant. His ministers also did not protest only mumbled at that time. Arjun Singh did not have courage to resign in protest and clung to chair only to realise his mistake now.
BJP had good opportunity to show its ‘muscle’ power after a long time. But they failed to realise that this episode will have permanent blot in the history books. Uma Bharti, Murli Manohar Joshi and hardline leaders like Katiyar had highlighted their ‘bravado’ only to know that it was foolishness on their part.
It had been in Delhi on 6th Dec ‘92 evening and everything was peaceful and next day I had to go to Mohali for training for next 15 days. Surprisingly, Punjab was peaceful in this turbulent period when whole nation was burning by hate waves.
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