Ayodhya verdict - an ordeal finally seeing light
Finally the Ayodhya verdict is out. I am glad something reached closure, albeit after so many years. A clear decision was more than required. One aspect to be considered is how many of us were really bothered about where there should be a temple or a mosque. For a common man earning a living claims all the attention. However, I definitely wanted a judgment, a terminal one, one that would end the conflict, once and for all. Because, one, there are bigger problems to solve that fighting over religions, two, I wished to reaffirm my faith in the judicial system, and three, I was a witness to riots that happened in 1992. Even then, most people rioting were not driven by ideal but by sheer provocation, and religion was just a medium that political leaders used, to stir emotions for their benefit. I have listened to the cassettes distributed for free, with all the provocative speeches, and regardless to say people got carried away. For once, even I was forced to think if the cause was right, regardless of the method of execution. I was only 16 then. The horrifying memories of 6th December 1992 can never fade. This was in Jabalpur, where I am born and brought up. It was late afternoon, on 6th, I had been writing my examination for regional Math Olympiad, when someone shouted “curfew lag gaya, babri masjid tod dee” (curfew announced in the city, babri mosque has been demolished). Someone said riots had broken in the city. It was just an hour after the examination started, and I was utterly disappointed that I would not get a scholarship because I could not complete my examination. It’s a pity that the nation was in crisis and I was worried about my scholarship, but that was of prime importance to me than a temple or a mosque. It was a Sunday so the school office was closed and a minimal staff was present. There were no cell phones at that time and telephone connections were a luxury that most people, including me, did not have. Parents started coming to pick up their children but reaching home safely was a concern. There was chaos and rumors. Some children started crying. Whenever someone appeared, I would rejoice thinking someone had come to pick me, and my hopes would sink, to find I wasn’t the lucky one. Finally I saw my father, and stormed out of the school. We took the safest possible route to reach home, the city was deserted, like a city of dead. I still don’t know if all the students reached home safely, I just hope they did, I did and so did all my friends. The city was under siege and schools were closed down for a month. The grocery shops would open for some time and we had to stock up things, not knowing when life would be back to normal again. Everyday there was news of violence, some neighbors stocked up arms and locally made explosives, for self protection or otherwise, who knows. After month of unrest, city slowly got back to normal. So much loss of life and property, all over the country, for a politically influenced issue. Its like stalling the progress of the country or taking it back in time.
But finally, the deplorable ordeal has seen a fair judgment and most importantly a closure, and am glad about it. I hope such things don't happen again. Lets think about India, first.
The final verdict @ http://elegalix2.allahabadhighcourt.in/elegalix/DisplayAyodhyaBenchLandingPage.do
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