Babri demolition anniversary: tight security in India

NEW DELHI

Security was tightened in India on Friday on the 27th anniversary of the demolition of the 16th century Babri Mosque.

Several organizations marched in the capital New Delhi, demanding speedy judicial trial and punishment to those responsible for the demolition of the mosque.

Since the demolition of the Babri Mosque in the northern Indian city of Ayodhya in 1992, the Hindus celebrate Dec. 6 as Shaurya Diwas (day of courage), whereas the Muslim community observes this as Black Day.

Shops and business establishments owned by Muslims in parts of Hyderabad, Bangalore, Bhopal and Nagpur cities remained closed, as a part of protest against the demolition of mosque on this day.

In the wake of the recent Supreme Court judgement that handed over site of the demolished mosque to the Hindus for the construction of a temple, Hindu groups had decided not to arrange any celebrations.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the outfit, which was in the forefront of the movement that led to demolition of the mosque, however, asked people to light earthen lamps in temples after sunset.

VHP spokesman Sharad Sharma said: "There will be no public function. Seers are also of the view that truth has triumphed so there is no relevance of the celebrations."

At a gathering in New Delhi, Mohamed Ali, the general secretary of Popular Front of India, a political organization, asked people to keep memories of Babri Mosque alive.

“This year is very crucial as the Supreme Court has pronounced the verdict. The court, despite its findings that no temple was destroyed for building the mosque and pronouncing that the act of placing an idol in 1949 and the destruction of the mosque on Dec. 6, 1992 were illegal, unilaterally decided to give it to Hindus for building Ram temple," he said.

He added that the verdict has legitimized the terror attacks on Babri Mosque.

“It has opened doors for criminal groups to lay claim on worship places of other religious communities and forcefully capture them,” Ali said.

Another group, the Lok Raj Sangathan, also organized a program, demanding justice in the Babri demolition case.

In a statement, Sangathan said: “A monstrous crime was committed 27 years ago. A 450 years old place of worship called Babri Masjid was demolished and communal violence was unleashed in which thousands of people were killed. However, no action has been taken against any of the guilty, even though 27 years have passed.”

“While the guilty have not been punished, the Supreme Court has pronounced its verdict in the case concerning the ownership of the land, on which the Masjid had stood. The land on which Babri Masjid stood has been declared, belonging to the idol of Ram,” the statement added.