1992-2019: From darkness to light
The demolition caused riots and violence. The SC order has sparked hopes of closure and amity
How will history remember December 6, 1992, and November 9, 2019? The first date will be remembered as the day of demolition and the second will be recalled as the day when order was restored. On December 6 that year, I had high fever. My colleague, Ashok Pandey, called me from Ayodhya saying thousands of kar sevaks had entered the disputed premises. He informed me that some had climbed atop the dome and were trying to demolish it, even as the armed police were looking on.
I don’t know how Ashok managed to call me and from where. There were no news channels or their OB vans in those days. The Internet and mobile phones were in the realm of imagination. Landlines were not too efficient.
The newsman in me could not contain himself. I took a cold shower to bring down my body’s temperature. I was then the editor of the Hindi newspaper, Aaj, in Agra, and rushed to office. People had, by then, started gathering on the streets. They wanted to know what was happening and the governmentowned media was silent.
I was in a meeting with my colleagues when we were told that people have entered our building. Chants of Jai Shri Ram echoed in the office. The city’s additional district officer and the superintendent of police, who were passing by, noticed the crowd and came to the office. Even though the crowd just wanted the news, the two officials were worried that it could turn violent.
They urged me to say a few words to the crowd, which had swelled by then. I requested them to be patient, and promised to have the special edition of our paper available shortly with all the details they sought. But we needed peace and quiet.
People calmed down and dispersed. The only source of information was phone calls from our reporters and correspondents, but it was difficult to get in touch with them. By the afternoon, hundreds of people once again barged into the office. This time I came out confidently, but what happened was unexpected.
One man lifted me on to his shoulders and advanced towards the exit. I had seen leaders on people’s shoulders, but for me, it was an unpleasant experience. Outside, thousands of people had gathered. They wanted to know the news. The police officials had left by then. I was worried that I would be crushed if a stampede took place. We had reached a wall. By then, my fever had disappeared.
Somehow, I conveyed the information I had received till then, and requested them to go back, because the road was completely blocked. “We can give you the newspaper only when you free me,” I told them. My colleagues and I were allowed back to office.
The next thing I knew was that our city was engulfed in a communal frenzy. The administration declared a curfew, but people could not be controlled. The police also did not appear committed in stopping them. There was an unprecedented scene. A senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader, Satya Prakash Vikal, who used to live in Agra’s Kamala Nagar,came out of his house, and started walking. People started joining him one by one, and the crowds increased. They were shouting slogans like “Jai Shri Ram, kasam Ram ki khaate hain, Mandir wahin banayenge.” And, in no time, hundreds of people joined this group.
That day, I saw a unique example of the morale and efficiency of the police. Karamveer Singh was the senior superintendent of police in Agra. He did not have enough personnel at the station, but nevertheless, he, along with a dozen jawans and officers, stationed himself at the Ghatiya Azan Khan intersection. He wrapped a rope around himself, and other police officials too tied themselves with the same rope. Thus a human wall was created in front of the crowd swarming towards them.
Karmveer said loudly, no matter what happens to the officers, the crowd would not be allowed to go any further. After a bit of scuffle, the crowd returned. Karmveer Singh’s courage carried the day.
The situation was similar in other parts of the country. More than 3,000 people were killed and property worth crores damaged. Our harmonious culture and the tradition of coexistence were undermined.
So, it is heartening that November 9, 2019 was when those dark days were buried forever. While writing this, there have been no reports of communal conflict from anywhere in the country. In fact, news of Hindus and Muslims posing together for photographs have come in. In Orai, Uttar Pradesh, Muslim religious leaders have greeted a Hindu mahant with flowers. At many places, Hindus and Sikhs greeted Eid Milad-un-nabi processions on Sunday. The majority community also did not show any sense of triumphalism. Social media was also relatively restrained this time. Is this because of the authority of this government? Or the positive pressure from the society? Whatever the case, this should be welcomed.
Some people have expressed their dissatisfaction, including Sunni Waqf Board lawyer Zafaryab Jilani, All India Muslim Personal Law Board convener Kamal Farooqui, and Asaduddin Owaisi. This is their right.
November9isalsoallamaiqbal’sbirthday. The great poet called Ram Imaam-e-hind. We remember him for his famous poem Saare jahan se achchha Hindostan hamara… Is India heading toward being saare jahan se achchha (better than the entire world)? The answer will be clear in the coming days.