THE DAY OF VERDICT ON AYODHYA LAND DISPUTE
The eve of 30th of September 2010, the clock ticked 4:30 pm. Lakhs of Indian eyes glued to the television screens surfing through various news channels. The reason was the verdict of the High court of Allahabad on the case of Ayodhya. Streets were empty, station platforms silenced; half of the hard working Mumbai was back home unlike the other working days.
“This is NDTV 24x7 and we are showing you the live coverage from the High court of Allahabad. And looks like the gates are opening.”
“Mamma, come out fast, they are showing the decision”, a young Rahul called his mother out in the TV room.
A pool of black clothed people stepped out the gate. The security personnel gathered around the lawyers and shooed the mediapeople away. Various TV channels showed the same scenarios from various angles. A TV channel showed the news from the top of a tree, other from the steps and another poor guy was just being able to show the heads of his fellow mediapeople.
A wise TV channel knew that they won’t be getting the news so soon, so they started narrating the history of the case. They said that the verdict is of a case that has been impending over 60 years. Hundreds of years ago, a Hindu deity, ‘LORD RAMA’ was born in Ayodhya. In his worship, the Indians built a massive temple with the Rama idol and Sita, his wife’s kitchen.
Hindus worshipped this place with all their faith. India was then invaded by the Mughal Empire. The then ruling Mughal Emperor, Babar, destroyed the Lord Rama temple and built a mosque over it. The Muslims all over the country started believing it as a holy place and worshipped it.
So that place in Ayodhya had a special place in the hearts of both the Hindus and Muslims.
In the early 1990’s, a bad political plot took place. The then head of a political party Mr. X made a ploy to create a rift between religions and take the Hindu advantage towards coming in power. He carried out massive protests and provoked the Hindus in believing that the Babri Masjid was built at the place of a Hindu temple. So it should be removed from its place and a Hindu temple be built.
Thousands of Hindus from all over the country went to Uttar Pradesh and in the spirit of vengeance demolished the dome of the Babri Masjid thereby announcing that the party had successfully brought down a Muslim Mosque which was built at the place of a Hindu Temple.
But what followed were massive riots and protests throughout the country. Among the worst affected was the city of Mumbai. Massive riots took place in Mumbai killing around a thousand people. It is said that the series of bomb blasts that took place in the March of 1993 was and after effect of the fall of the Babri Masjid.
Suddenly in the middle of this story, the screen showed a pitch red color through the screen with letters written in bold white as ‘BREAKING NEWS’; something enough for one to believe that the news is not good. But this news channel shows this screen for every small news; news as small as a dog’s fracture. You must have guessed which news channel I mean to mention.
The screen suddenly showed so many people that it was then difficult to identify anyone in it. Also the speakers were shouting out so loud that none of it made any sense to the viewer. Steadily it was understood that certain lawyers were announcing the court verdict to the many media persons standing for some information so that they can break it first on their news channel.
The arrangements for the press meet looked very shabby. A microphone was of the worst quality; one of the types that has been used for years for now. But still the same microphone was in full demand as it seemed that two lawyers were virtually fighting over who should speak over the mike. The stage looked weak and seemed as if the lawyers would fall off any moment. The background was a maroon colored curtain. The media it seemed was standing as no chairs were visible on my 29” monitor. But all of the media was dying over with their cameras and microphones.
Finally a lady lawyer came over and took over the microphone. It seemed that now there would be peace and we would get some good news. But things just got better (read the sarcasm). The lady I doubt if she knew English. And to overdo it she was shouting over the microphone with her long breaths filling the space between her words. The speakers dint look in a good condition either. They were emitting noise, not sound.
For 10 long minutes, the media was showing us the live coverage and I would doubt if they were themselves being able to understand what was being said leave alone the audience. The media was sensible I must say; they moved on to lawyers who were out of the room of press meet and took the news from there. These not-much-to-do lawyers suddenly got the much coveted limelight and they too in the most serious mood they could display, announced the news.
It was finally understood from the noise and the news that the verdict was declared. The verdict was that the place would be divided into 1/3rd parts each for the Hindu Temple, the Mosque and the Nirmohi Akhara.
The decision was accepted all over the country for the time at least as both the communities were satisfied by giving some portions of the land. Both the religions were given apt respect and the decision I guess was made to satisfy both the parties.
Finally the decision was announced, the whole of India came to know the latest status of the land. But this was half of the news for the country. What was also very important to know was the response of the various communities throughout the country.
But thankfully, nothing bad took place. The whole country took the verdict in the right spirit. The people of India have indeed moved on with the pace of life. I was so happy that the decision was accepted by all the people. The fear of 1993 riots still remains in the hearts of the people and people were therefore very scared before the verdict. But the attitude of the country makes me proud to say that I am an Indian.
And finally as they say.. ”ALL IS WELL THAT ENDS WELL”
JAY HIND…!!!
