My verdict on the verdict
I find the reaction of people around me rather interesting. Amusing even. Yesterday, when we were all worried about possible riots/violence on the streets, this one guy in my office went on saying to me "i am manase..so i am safe" (It took me a few moments to figure out ma-na-se is hindi/marathi for MNS - Maharashtra Navnirman Sena) His remarks made me realize that many people have ceased to (or never did) think about the right or wrong of things. They are only concerned about their own well-being basically. Understandable - it's the basic animal instinct in all of us.
I find others who are comparatively more human - those that prefer anything to avoid riots. If placating those that had assumed a ready-to-pounce position is the way to avoid violence and destruction, then so be it. Again they care little about the concept of justice and things.
Lastly, there are the thinking humans who fully understand the right and wrong of things. They feel miserable. Helplessly wishing they could change things.
There is also a fourth kind. These guys convert their feelings into action. But I haven't come across these people yet.
Anway, my point is that those of us Hindus who actually believe that the demolish was carried out to protect our sentiments are getting gravely fooled. I mean the mosque had been standing there for 500 years! Over 5 generations of Hindu's had been deriving satisfactory spiritualism/peace of mind/divinity from our Guruvayur,Vaishnodevi,Shabarimalas and Tirupati etc. The same number of generations had been placing their faith in Babri Masjid.
This whole demolish tamasha carried out to "safeguard" our sentiments! They must think we are really stupid! Come to think of it - we are!
And now, 18 years later, when the verdict comes out, I keep reading the phrase "the Ayodhya movement legitimized" in newspapers and it fills me up with an unpleasant feeling. By this logic, Buddhists must ambush and demolish all the temples that are built over their viharas. Right?
Wrong.
Found this article that appeared in The Hindu interesting
Also, here's an insightful blogpost on the subject and the CWG
P.S Let the brickbats begin..:)
I find others who are comparatively more human - those that prefer anything to avoid riots. If placating those that had assumed a ready-to-pounce position is the way to avoid violence and destruction, then so be it. Again they care little about the concept of justice and things.
Lastly, there are the thinking humans who fully understand the right and wrong of things. They feel miserable. Helplessly wishing they could change things.
There is also a fourth kind. These guys convert their feelings into action. But I haven't come across these people yet.
Anway, my point is that those of us Hindus who actually believe that the demolish was carried out to protect our sentiments are getting gravely fooled. I mean the mosque had been standing there for 500 years! Over 5 generations of Hindu's had been deriving satisfactory spiritualism/peace of mind/divinity from our Guruvayur,Vaishnodevi,Shabarimalas and Tirupati etc. The same number of generations had been placing their faith in Babri Masjid.
This whole demolish tamasha carried out to "safeguard" our sentiments! They must think we are really stupid! Come to think of it - we are!
And now, 18 years later, when the verdict comes out, I keep reading the phrase "the Ayodhya movement legitimized" in newspapers and it fills me up with an unpleasant feeling. By this logic, Buddhists must ambush and demolish all the temples that are built over their viharas. Right?
Wrong.
Found this article that appeared in The Hindu interesting
Also, here's an insightful blogpost on the subject and the CWG
P.S Let the brickbats begin..:)
Comments
This case was on the ownership of the land and on whether it is the birthplace of Ram as per Hindu belief. I think, what finally happened is similar to the case of a panwala/tenant who cannot be evicted from a property in Bombay. Hindus and Muslims have both been using the site for more than a century (the Bombay panwala/tenant cannot be forcefully evicted after a much shorter time-span). So they cannot evict anybody now. Only solution - divide the property into parts.
This is the way I made sense of the verdict.
:-)
The demolition was without doubt illegal!
There is no law that allows mobs to destroy buildings that have been erected on a land where something else stood once!
Regarding ownership of land based on faith and belief:
That would have been a fair case to resolve BEFORE the lawless demolition.
The highly rude act of demolition changes things. One just can't separate "the demolition" from the scheme of things. Justice demands that the act of outright disrespect to an entire community of people gets due consideration!
And in this new scheme of things, justice would be to penalize the manipulators of faith who mobilized the demolition and to re-create the whole Babri Masjid as it was!!
I mean, why don't we get real? The town is known as "Ayodhya". It is a freaking Hindu temple town. Why should there be a conflict over a spot of land where a mosque stands (stood).
The Babri Masjid never did effect Hindu beliefs, faith, sentiments etc. These politicians have taken us for a ride! Let's not get started on how they made us ALL doubly vulnerable to terrorism and riots for life!!!
If there is a God, I am pretty sure, the people involved in the demolition will be sent to hell.(that would be God's verdict for sure) heh! :)
My point is that "this verdict" actually justifies the demolition.
It does not even include a simple disclaimer BECAUSE it is not being 'not condoned'! (if the intent was there, something like a disclaimer would have been a most natural thing)
The graveness of the crime is completely diluted in the name of the "faith" of the community from which the criminals came from...
That's my problem. :(
It is unfair!! :( :(