“We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another.” – Jonathan Swift, Thoughts on Various Subjects from Miscellanies.
Introduction- The Dispute
The dispute is about a plot of land in the city of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh. This particular site is considered among the Hindus to be the birthplace of Lord Rama, but the Babri Masjid is located out there. The question arises if an earlier Hindu temple was demolished or modified to create the mosque. This issue has become the watershed chapter for Hindu- Muslim relationship in India
It is unfortunate that a matter of religious nature has been allowed to assume political overtones to become a “dispute”, often threatening to disturb the atmosphere of peace in the country.
Why Is It In The News?
Revered Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Sadiq recently said,
“Muslims should peacefully accept the decision of the Supreme Court of India even if its verdict goes against the community. By giving away a piece of land, the community can win millions of hearts.”
This statement will be welcomed with open arms by the Hindu community but the same cannot be said about the Muslim community.
Many amicable solutions have been thought so but none has been fruitful till date. Here are some of the failed attempts at solving one of the big hurdles between the two religions-
Dalai Lama’s Proposal
The suggestion by Dalai Lama was an outcome of several parleys between RSS and Muslims leaders. The then Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani said that the government would facilitate the talks between the two communities and the revered Dalai Lama.
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What the Dalai Lama’s proposal constituted was that Muslims would be persuaded to withdraw their claim from Babri Masjid and in return, they would get educational, monetary and other benefits. It was outrightly rejected.
Resolution of Ayodhya tangle by execution of the Ayodhya Act 1993.
A proposal was forwarded in the previous decade by Ayodhya Jama Masjid Trust (AJMT). Its chairman, Allama Asghar Abbas Rizvi wanted, ‘Resolution of Ayodhya tangle by execution of the Ayodhya Act 1993.’
The AJMT was established to shoulder the responsibilities for the construction of the Mosque that could be built on a non-disputed land, out of Janaumbhumi Kot Ram Chander area. “The voluntary withdrawal from the site is based upon a sense of our Mission of Peace, an honor to Lord Shri Ram Chanderji and respect to his devotees, our Hindu brethren.” says the proposal.
This proposal also never saw the daylight.
PM Vajpayee’s Solution
Memories come flooding in of the statement of PM AB Vajpayee on Dec 6, 2000 that ” Ram Temple would be built on the disputed site in Ayodhya while Masjid could be built on alternative site,” of VHP demanding 47 acre of land around the disputed site of Babri Masjid/Ramjanambhumi before the ominous March 12th 2002 ‘temple construction deadline’ when the nation was made to sit on edge, of the subsequent affidavit by BJP Law Minister Arun Jaitley to vacate the stay order given by the Supreme Court (March 13th, 2002) that no land around the disputed site could be transferred to anyone.
The issue is still rampant and burning bridges between the Hindus and Muslims.
I’m not a political activist but then from a common man’s point of view who just wants the matter to be resolved, why can’t we just build a library in the disputed area which would cater to all religions. It is a lot easier said than done.
Image Credits: Google Images
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