The much awaited Ayodhya verdict was to be announced today. Even before that announcement, the entire country seemed to brace for the possible violence that might erupt in the various cities all over India. Most of the offices declared closing time at 3 pm just so that employees could get home in time without facing too much difficulties.
I myself had lunch plans with a friend and got a call early in the morning from a worried grandmother pleading me to stay home and cancel my plans. Only after explaining to her that I would be very near home and would get back well in time for the verdict, she finally relented. The day went off pretty much uneventfully (as far as I know atleast). The overhyped situation kept the roads empty and making it easier to get around in the city. The bolder bunch of people may have left office early but went straight into INOX to catch the movie they had planned for the weekend.
This whole issue about who really “owns” the 60×40 area on which Babri Masjid now stands has been plaguing the country for way too long. The split verdict of the court had hardly come out in the open and yet there were several so-called specialists already blaring out their versions of the ruling. Most of the panels being interviewed on television by Barkha Dutt and Rajdeep Sardesai seemed to be of the opinion that the ruling regarding the division of the land in question should be accepted. I was quite pleasantly surprised at this and was starting to think that we Indians had finally become mature enough to accept the idea of being able to co-exist with people of other religions harmoniously. My happiness turned out to be short-lived with the next image on the television screen being a lawyer representing the Hindus. He started claiming that they weren’t at all happy with the verdict so far and didn’t like the idea that any land at all would be given to the Muslims. They would be appealing shortly to get this verdict taken back and corrected. I personally believe that its people like these that give rise to violence and tension in the country. The reactions from the panelists on the television screen were from a set of educated and sophisticated group of people and were no doubt more thought out. This country however doesn’t have any dearth of extremist leaders only looking for a chance to react violently and creating an unnecessary mess.
I think this is a time for consolidation and getting through this situation in a manner that is fitting for the nation as a whole and not just satisfying the egos of few. The ramifications of the ruling are yet to be known in totality and I only hope that the people of India can accept the verdict peacefully even when it is spelt out in simple enough terms so that even people without a masters degree in law can comprehend it.
“we have built enough temples and mosques, lets build the nation now ” – from a friend’s status message on Facebook
Good Job Avi.
Making good use of your time.