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India’s troubled history- The Babri Masjid case

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Babri Masjid
Right wing Hindu activists demolishing the Babri masjid in 1992.
Hindutva groups demolish the Babri Masjid in 1992

The Babri Masjid case exposed the communal fault lines in India and its troubled history.  India has historically been home to multiple religions. But it also had an issue with religious conflict. This article looks at the impact of the Babri Masjid case in India.

Babri Masjid Steeped in History

First, let us look at the history of the Babri Masjid. This mosque is located in Ayodhya, a city in Uttar Pradesh, India. The Mughal ruler Babur built this mosque in 1528. Babur was the founder of the Mughal dynasty in India.

Centuries later in the winter of 1949, certain individuals placed idols inside the mosque. They then asked permission to conduct prayer services in the mosque. In 1950 litigation started. Consequently, the mosque’s interior was locked. Muslims lost access to their mosque.

Also Read: Communalism and Economic Marginalisation of Muslims

Subsequently, in 1984 right-wing parties took out processions in major cities in India. These processions often provoked riots. Later in 1986, the trial court granted Hindus permission to worship in the mosque. The situation in Ayodhya was tense. Police forces were deployed to protect the mosque.

But in 1992, a Hindu mob stormed the mosque and destroyed it. Following this event, the mob attacked the houses and businesses of Muslims in Ayodhya. The destruction of the Babri Masjid is one of the darkest days in Indian history.

Allahabad High Court’s Judgment

In the 2000s, the litigation is still ongoing. The Allahabad High Court took up this case due to its importance. The High ordered that the Archaeological Survey of India excavate the Babri Masjid site. The court wanted to determine if a temple lay underneath the remains of the mosque.

The Archaeological Survey released a controversial report stating there were remains of an ancient 12th-century temple. However, historians and archaeologists in India and around the world refuted this report.

Later on, in 2010, the Allahabad High Court delivered its judgment. The court divided the mosque and adjoining land into three parts. Two-thirds would go to the Hindu litigants and one-third to the Muslim litigants.

None of the litigants was happy with this outcome. All of the litigants in the Babri Masjid case approached the Indian Supreme Court.

Indian Supreme Court’s Babri Masjid Judgment  

Let us now look at how the Indian Supreme Court handled the Babri Masjid judgment.

Firstly there is the archaeological survey. This survey stated a mosque was built after demolishing a temple. The court rejected this part of the survey. The court found that the temple described in the report dated to the 12th century. However, the Babri Masjid was built 400 years later.

Secondly, there was nothing to show this 12th-century temple had anything to do with the mosque. The report didn’t conclusively say that portions of a temple were used to build the Babri Masjid.

So the Court concluded that there was no proof that a temple was destroyed. But this is where the table turns.

The Court then stated that the Muslim community was unable to show they had continuous possession of the mosque. So basically, the Muslim plaintiff was not able to show they had possession of the Babri Masjid from 1528 onwards. This is where logic and reason disappear.

Also Read: Islamophobia in India: The Hostile Treatment Against Muslims

The Court didn’t consider that the mosque was built by a Muslim ruler. Therefore, the Muslim community would use it for prayers.

How does one show that a mosque was used for worship in 1600, 1700, or 1800? Documents from that era are sparse and literacy rates in India were abysmal during that time period. Asking the Muslim plaintiffs to produce proof was an impossible task. Curiously, the Hindu plaintiffs were not subject to the same standard.

Verdict in the Babri Masjid case

The Indian Supreme Court came to the conclusion that the Hindu parties would get the entire land including the Babri Masjid. Whereas, the Muslims were awarded 5 acres in a separate location.

But, the issue is that this judgment was influenced by beliefs and faith rather than the law. The judgment comes to the conclusion that the site of the Babri Masjid was where Lord Rama was born. How the court comes to such a broad conclusion is mysterious. At best one can say some Hindus believe in this statement. But does it include every Indian?

Another question would be – why do the beliefs of Hindus hold greater merit than the beliefs of Muslims? The Muslim litigants in the case argued that their community was using the Babri Masjid as a mosque for centuries. This argument was based on their strongly held belief.

Now we need to remember how the dispute started. Initially, Hindu plaintiffs sought permission to worship within the premises of the mosque. Hindu mobs demolished the mosque in 1992. By 2019, the Muslim litigants lost their rights over the entire land.  

Conclusion

One thread connects these events. A BJP government was in power in the State of Uttar Pradesh in 1992. And the mosque was demolished in 1992. The controversial report of the Archaeological Survey came out when the BJP was in power in the centre. Later, the Supreme Court’s decision also occurred during the time of the present BJP government. The present agitations for demolishing mosques are also in states where the BJP is in power.

Normally in India, bureaucracy and the government tend to move at a snail’s pace. Yet within weeks of the judgment, the foundation stone for a new temple was laid. This ceremony at the site of the Babri Masjid was attended by the Prime Minister of India.

Also Read: Why Is Indian PM Modi’s Silent About Attacks Against Muslims?

We cannot ignore this link. A political party that is governing a diverse nation like India needs to look after everyone’s well-being. It cannot be only in the interests of one community. Even within the Hindu community. Most Hindus don’t care about these issues. It is only fringe elements that push these communal narratives.

Also Read: Video From Haryana Used to Create Communal Tensions

So one has to wonder, why a narrow and divisive approach is becoming the norm in India. Why is the country moving away from pluralism? Every Indian citizen has equal rights and deserves the same protection. The same principle should apply to religions as well.  

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“The Kerela Story” Controversy in India

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A recent Indian movie- The Kerela Story has stirred a huge controversy in India. The film professes to portray the tale of Hindu and Christian women who were persuaded to join the Islamic State (IS) organisation has caused a huge uproar in India. Many opposition leaders have denounced the film The Kerala Story, which is based in the southern state of Kerala. Some have referred to it as propaganda and an effort to sabotage religious harmony of India. The Kerala Story is the most talked-about movie right now, followed by The Kashmir Files. The movie is being viewed through many different lenses; where some people want it to be banned, while others want it to be promoted across all of India.

Also, read UN Defender Demands End to Crackdown on Kashmiri Activists

The Kerela Story Controversy Over Misrepresentation of Facts

The Kerela Story, which was released on May 5, has become embroiled in controversy over misinterpretation of facts. Months before it was released, The Kerala Story started to cause controversy. When the preview of the movie claimed it presented the “heart-breaking and gut-wrenching stories of 32,000 females” from Kerala who had joined the IS, some legislators from that state urged for its ban in November. This was refuted by the fact-checking website Alt News after a thorough investigation that found “no evidence” to support the claimed number.

Women who converted to Islam are the main subject of the movie. As the film’s release date approached in April, it was confronted with legal issues and growing criticism. The Kerala High Court declined to block the distribution, but the film’s producers agreed to take out the controversial 32,000 women number from the teaser. “The compilation of the true stories of three young girls from different parts of Kerala” was added to the description of the video on YouTube. This sparked numerous complaints from online users over claimed misinterpretations. Now that these facts have been brought forth, producer Vipul Shah has responded by saying that they are irrelevant and that these figures don’t matter.

Many acts of violence, including rape culture, hand-chopping, beheading, and trauma perpetrated to defenceless women, are graphically depicted in the film in the context of the Muslim culture and promotes islamophobia.

The film, according to a number of politicians in Kerela and Muslim leaders, would jeopardise religious harmony, demonise Muslims, promote Islamophobia, and might also humiliate the southern state.

Read also, Muslim OBC Reservation scrapped by BJP government of Karnataka

The Kerela Story Receives Both Criticism and Praise

According to analyst Taran Adarsh, the film’s box office success has been “extraordinary” for a low-budget production without any major performers. He thinks that it has made more than 560 million rupees ($6.8 million, £5.4 million) in five days, which he describes as “a feat for any new release”. On the other hand, many mainstream critics have criticised the movie for its performances and “lack of nuance”. One of the critics said that the movie’s ideas about Islam and [religious] conversion appeared to have come from hate-filled WhatsApp groups.

Audiences of The Kerela Story have praised and criticised the film, respectively, from various social groups. The “Kerala Story” has now sparked a major political uproar throughout the nation. While some states have made the movie tax-free, others have outrightly condemned it and proposed to ban it. It appears to be a point of disagreement between the states governed by the BJP and the opposition parties. A number of political organisations and parties, including the TMC, INC, and DMK, as well as some Muslim political groups, have been condemning the release of the film.

Also, Read Israeli Filmmaker Nadav Lapid Sparks Outrage in India after calling <em>The Kashmir Files</em> “Vulgar Propaganda”

West Bengal on The Kerela Story

West Bengal is one of the first states that has banned the controversial movie. It is West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee herself that has imposed a ban on the Sudipto Sen-directed movie “The Kerala Story.” “This is to avoid any incident of hatred and violence, and to maintain peace in the state. What is ‘The Kashmir Files?’ it is to humiliate one section. What is ‘The Kerala Story? It is a distorted story,” Banerjee said.

However, The Kerala Story is currently playing across the nation without incident, thus the Supreme Court today demanded to know why film was being banned in West Bengal.

The West Bengal government responded to the Supreme Court’s order banning the screening of the movie “The Kerala Story” in the state on Tuesday. The government defended themselves by claiming that the movie contains hate speech and is based on fabricated information, which may cause racial strife and problems with law and order in the state.

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Tamil Nadu on The Kerela Story

In the state of Tamil Nadu, The Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners Association decided to halt the film’s screening on Sunday as “a precautionary measure”. The action has been taken to uphold law and order and safeguard their properties against forces opposed to the movie’s subject. Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners’ Association president Tiruppur M. Subramaniam said, “The film has been taken out of almost all theatres. The film was screened only in the cities. Since it is a Hindi film and has no recognisable faces, it will not have patronage.”

Also, read UN Defender Demands End to Crackdown on Kashmiri Activists

Madhya Pradesh and Kerela on The Kerela Story

On the other hand, the state of the BJP-ruled state of Madhya Pradesh has made the film tax-free. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said “The film shows how the (life of) daughters who get entangled in the trap of love jihad gets destroyed. It also exposes the design of terrorism. While we have already brought a law against (forced) conversion, the film creates awareness about the issue. This film should be watched by all and that’s why the Madhya Pradesh government is declaring the film tax-free.”

Moreover, the Kerala High Court has refused to ban the release of the movie stating that the film is “inspired by true events”.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that The Kerela Story has gained the support of senior members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave it a favourable review at a recent political rally. Additionally, some party members have held screenings and given away free tickets.

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What the Filmmakers of The Kerela Story Have to Say?

Sudipto Sen, the Kerala Story’s director, claimed that the film’s objective goes beyond the purview of traditional cinematic creativity. Additionally, he claimed that the nation had long been in denial about the long-running Kerala problem. Sen told a group of Indian American reporters during a virtual news conference that “The country was in denial of the long-existing issue in the state of Kerala. The Kerala Story is a mission which is beyond the creative boundaries of cinema, a movement that should reach the masses all over the world and raise awareness,”.

“The film’s subject was hidden from the masses and deserved to be told. We made the film to initiate deliberation worldwide,” said the producer of the film, Vipul Shah.

“This is a very bold, honest and true film which in the beginning got no support, today stands at the point of releasing worldwide with a spectacular box office success in just 6 days,” added Vipul Shah.

Also, read Festival turns bloody after Hindutva Mob Burnt Centennial Mosque

The Kerela Story draws Parallels with The Kashmir Files

The Kashmir Files, another controversial film with deep polarising representation of Kashmiri Muslims, that became one of last year’s biggest hits from Bollywood, has been compared to The Kerala Story. That movie, which focused on the 1990s exodus of Hindus from Kashmir, had a small production cost and no big actors, and was praised by Mr. Modi and other BJP leaders despite receiving mixed reviews.

Read here, Dehumanizing Representation of Tribals and Muslims in the Oscar fame RRR

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Karnataka Elections: Setback for Modi

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Set back for Modi and BJP in Karnataka elections

On Sunday, Modi’s party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) faced a setback in the state elections of Karnataka. BJP won 66 seats out of 224 seats while the main opposition party in India Congress won 135 seats. Janata Dal (Secular) won 19 and others won 4 seats. The vote share of Congress also increased by more than 4% in the previous election which was held in 2018. With Karnataka’s loss, the BJP has been evicted from all five states of South India.

These elections are crucial since India is going for national elections next year.

Modi Campaigned Himself

BJP’s setback came even as Modi himself held 19 rallies and 6 road shows across the state before the elections. Other senior politicians from the BJP, including central ministers were also seen relentlessly campaigning in the state. The party was hoping to ride on Modi’s magic to overcome anti-incumbency. However, it seems like Modi’s magic failed in the state. This has raised questions about Modi’s charisma.

BJP has been capitalizing on the Modi factor in most of the elections. In Karnataka, the party had its entire bet on Modi’s magic. Therefore, BJP’s defeat in Karnataka also means Modi’s defeat. The win has thus given hope to the opposition party that Modi is not invincible after all.

Also Read: Muslim OBC Reservation scrapped by BJP government of Karnataka

Love Triumphs Hate 

For the last several years, BJP had tried to stoke communal tensions in the state. Karnataka is the same state where the BJP government last year banned Hijab in schools and colleges. The school education minister, B C Nagesh, who enforced the Hijab in educational institutions lost the elections by over 17,000 votes. The lone Muslim women elected candidate of Congress, Kaneez Fatima, has said that they will lift the Hijab ban. “God willing, we will reverse the hijab ban in the coming days and we will get those girls back to classrooms and they will be able to appear for their exams,” Fatima said. “They have lost two precious years.”

Congress has also promised to ban Bajrang Dal in the state in its election manifesto. Bajrang Dal is an extremist Hindutva outfit that has been at the centre of several communal tensions across India. During his rallies, Modi was seen exhorting his supporters in rallies to chant slogans in support of Bajrang Dal.

For many in India, especially Muslims, Karnataka election results provided some respite as it showed that communalism is not the only thing that matters to the voters.

Meanwhile, Congress had put its entire bet on issues of development, corruption and increasing prices of commodities. It also made sure to take a stand against BJP’s communalism and hatred as the promise of the Bajrang Dal ban shows.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a statement said, “The markets of hatred have closed down, and shops of love have opened in Karnataka.” “We contested Karnataka polls with love, not hate,” he said.

Also Read: Hijab Ban- Denying Education to Students

Karnataka Elections Crucial Before National Elections

Karnataka elections were crucial for Congress since the national elections will be held next year.

The results will also have an impact on the elections of four other states that will be held later this year. Karnataka will provide Congress with a template on how to take on BJP in these four states. Till now, Congress had been inconsistent with its strategy against Modi’s and BJP’s communal agenda. However, these elections have shown Congress how to make love triumph over hate.

Further, the result will give some hope to Congress for the national elections. The election along with the election of four other states later this year will also settle the debate over who heads the opposition alliance against BJP in the national elections next year. Other opposition parties have alleged that Congress always loses when in a direct contest against the BJP. However, the Karnataka elections will change those perceptions.

Also Read: Will India Ban Hijab in Educational Institutions?

National Elections Different from State Elections

Even though the Karnataka elections are being celebrated as a victory of Congress over the BJP and there are talks about its impact on the national elections next year, here is a word of caution.

Indian voters vote differently in state elections and national elections

In state elections, voters keep in mind the issues related to their state while in national elections they keep in mind the national interests. If the same voters that voted for Congress in the Karnataka elections keeping in mind their state issues feel that Modi and BJP best represent the nation’s interests, they will vote for Modi in the next elections.

Hence, we will have to wait and watch if the Karnataka elections will impact the national elections next year.

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Muslim OBC Reservation scrapped by BJP government of Karnataka

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Muslim Reservation under OBC scrapped by the BJP government

Muslim Reservation under OBC scrapped by the BJP government of Karnataka. On March 30, the BJP government in Karnataka announced a cabinet decision to eliminate the 4% Muslim OBC quota, which had been allocated to the two most powerful communities in the state, the Lingayats and Vokkaligas. Muslims have been considered a backward class in Karnataka for more than 100 years. Following closely behind, the government granted 101 Scheduled Castes (SC) internal reservations. Both of these choices have been the subject of heated political discussion. The state has become one of the most communally polarised in India due to the policies of the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government, particularly the most recent official statement regarding the updated reservation formula.

Read here, UN Defender Demands End to Crackdown on Kashmiri Activists

Why did the BJP make this decision?

The BJP was under pressure since the community led by Kudalasangama Seer Sri Jayamruthyunjaya Swami has been fighting for 2A status in the OBC list for the community for two years. The community derives strength from the numerically significant Panchamasalis, a sub-sect among Veerashaiva-Lingayats. The decision was made well before the Vokkaligas exerted any significant pressure on the BJP, which is trying to take over the Vokkaliga-dominated Old Mysore region.

An allegedly pre-dated government order regarding the transfer of category was published two days after the announcement of the elections and the rationale provided for this new reservation formula is blatantly communal, defying even the ‘neutral’ language of administration, reports The Wire.

Also, read Festival turns bloody after Hindutva Mob Burnt Centennial Mosque

Double-faced Politics of the BJP

In order to demonstrate its commitment to secularism, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been reaching out to Pasmanda (Backward) Muslims in North India. However, in the southern state of Karnataka, the same BJP has transerred socially and educationally backward Muslims from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category of society to the forward caste grouping, known as the Economically Weak Section (EWS). This clearly shows the double-faced politics of the BJP in India.

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The Justification of the BJP Government

The BJP has used a 2010 ruling by the Andhra Pradesh High Court as a justification, which declared reservations for Muslims under the OBC quota as illegal, to support the withdrawal of the OBC quota for Muslims (Category II B). It has been maintained that the 1994 decision by the H. D. Deve Gowda administration to include Muslims in the OBC category was not supported by any factual facts.

No new reports or studies were cited for the change in the OBC status of Muslims. Chief Minister Bommai and Union Home Minister Amit Shah only said there is no provision in the Constitution for reservations for religious minorities reports The Indian Express.

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Rallies organized by the Muslims

In the meantime, rallies were organised by the Muslim community in Karnataka in areas like Vijayanagara, calling for the reinstatement of the reservation that had been granted to them under the “2B” category after Muslim Reservation under OBC scrapped by the BJP government. JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy took aim at the BJP administration on Monday, claiming that it planned to abolish the reservation in order to incite animosity between Muslims and Hindus and to gain electoral advantage. “The objective behind the decision is the policy of divide and rule employed by the BJP. They think that if Muslims hit the streets (to protest), they will benefit from it. Fortunately, Muslims have remained peaceful,” he said.

Also, read Pro-Khalistan Activist Amritpal Singh declared fugitive- What is happening in “India’s Bread Basket” Punjab?

Communities are Protesting the BJP-led Policy

On Monday (March 27), a large protest organised by the Banjara, Bhovi, Koracha, and Korama communities in Shivamogga district, Karnataka, descended into violence when people started throwing stones at former chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s home. Banjara leader Sharda Pooryanaik, a former Shivamogga Rural (SC) JD(S) MLA, said in a media interview that “The government should have held consultations with various caste groups before bringing the changes…There have been demands for a proper caste census to arrive at the quota requirements.”

The Banjara community, a Scheduled Tribe in Karnataka but also on the list of Scheduled Tribes in bordering states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, was at the forefront of the protest on Monday. The Banjaras, who are part of the group that has been given a 4.5 percent quota, are displeased with the government because they “were earlier able to corner a large chunk of the Dalit quota due to their enterprising nature, and now fear their share will be restricted to only 4.5 percent of the total,” The Indian Express reported. This is according to the leaders of the most backward SC groups in the Shivamogga region, where the demonstrations took place after reservation under OBC got scrapped by the BJP government

Also, read India: Violence Against Women on Holi Reeks of Communal and Racial Tensions

Agitations criticized by the BJP

The agitations have been criticised by BJP officials, who claim that the Congress is behind it. Local Congress leaders have incited [the demonstration], according to CM Bommai. They are inciting violence because they cannot stand that the BJP has brought social justice to these communities. The Banjara community must resist giving in to this. The BJP has always stood up for the neighborhood and will do so in the future.

Read here, Demolition Drives in Kashmir- Is India following the Israeli Model in Kashmir?

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