What Next after Babri Judgment?

Ram Puniyani
December 8, 2019

The Supreme Court seven bench verdict on Bari Masjid- Ram Janmbhoomi has elicited various reactions. While those who were part of Babri Demolition feel vindicated and are seeing this as the highest Court upholding their beliefs and faith, the minority community and most of those upholding democracy, pluralism and rule of law are seeing this as a blatant violation of the norms of justice. It has also raised the question of what next? Those associated with the construction of Ram temple at the site are looking forward to the formation of Trust which will build the grand Ram Temple there. Many human rights groups and some Muslim organizations want to appeal for review of the judgment. There are some Muslim groups who want to go for the process of review there are still others who want to ‘move away’ from the issue. As per those appealing to, ‘move away’ from Babri issue argue that this issue has tormented not only the Muslim community but has also strengthened the communal politics and has dealt a severe blow to pluralism of the country and fraternity aspect of Indian Constitution.

The letter, ‘move away’, signed by over 100 Muslims from different walks of life, with prominent one’s like Shaban Azmi, Nasiruddin Shah and Javed Anand have come out with an appeal in a widely circulated letter. They state, “We share the unhappiness of the Indian Muslim community, constitutional experts and secular organizations over the fact that the highest court in the land has placed faith above law in arriving at its decision. But while agreeing that the court order is judicially flawed, we strongly believe that keeping the Ayodhya dispute alive will harm, and not help, Indian Muslims”.

It is very true that on one side to uphold the rule of law, to ask SC to give a relook at the verdict is necessary on several grounds of justice, on the other if we take stock of the whole political game played around Babri issue it becomes clear that it is around this issue that sectarianism has thrived. This has been the major issue which strengthened RSS combine. One index of this comes in the form of the electoral strength of BJP, which just prior to taking up this issue was mere two MPs in Lok sabha, and in the last general elections has rose to 303 MPs in the parliament.

It is true that RSS combine did raise other polarizing issues like Love Jihad, Cow-beef, Ghar Wapasi as well. It is also true that RSS combine has been polarizing the society on the issue of Nationalism, particularly through anti-Pakistan rhetoric, but Ram Temple remained the central issue all through. One could see that while the nation was united as Indian nation through the anti colonial movement, in contrast different steps of Ram Temple campaign led to emotive upsurge, in which ‘Hate Muslim’ was the core. The rise of emotions around Babri issue have also led to a condition where Muslims been relegated to the margins of society.

One can understand the spirit of the ‘look away’ letter when one looks back as to what happened during the whole period of this campaign. The first thing was that the basic issues of society, the one’s related to bread, butter, shelter, employment were relegated to the margins and issues related to faith were put on the forefront of the society. One could also see as to how ‘faith’ can be manufactured to serve the political goals. Till six- seven decades ago, no one talked that Lord Ram was born precisely at that spot where the mosque is standing, now it is by and large part of the understanding of section of Hindus.

During this period, the violence in the name of religion kept going up and different studies show that Muslims have been the major victims of this violence. To cap it all the analysts also show that in the aftermath of violence BJP stands to gain at electoral level. The whole story of pain and marginalization of Muslim community running parallel to the Babri issue is there for all to see. Apart from physical insecurity, the aftermath of violence and other issues, which have added on to the process, we also see that Sachar Committee and Rangnath Mishra Commission also showed as to how at economic and social level the conditions of Muslim community has become abysmal. The logic behind this letter stands out very clearly if we survey the happenings during last few decades.

While RSS-VHP seems to be in command for temple construction what is happening to the plight of majority community, the Hindus, in the name of whose faith the whole exercise has been undertaken? In a recent Asghar Ali Engineer memorial lecture, Prabhat Patnaik, the leading intellectual points out, that majoritiarianism does not enhance rights or result in material benefits to majority community. One can add that the poorer section of majority community as such are used as cannon fodder of this politics, while the elite of the community reap the rewards sitting in comfort zones of their homes and offices.

So today we are facing a dilemma yet again. Should we go to struggle for justice in the real sense by asking for review of the terribly flawed SC verdict and let the issue linger on or whether we should look back and see who stands to benefit if this issue is kept alive? Do we not need to bring our focus back in the direction, in which our republic began, material progress, solving agrarian issues, take urgent steps against rising unemployment, ensure that our children do not die due to lack of Oxygen in the hospitals, ensure that scientific temper is promoted to put the nation back on the track which was envisaged by the policies which laid the industrial, agrarian and educational infrastructure of the country. The letter by Shabana Azmi, Naseerudding Shah et al is timely intervention in the debate on the issue and needs to be taken in all its seriousness.

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News Network
June 1,2020

Bengaluru, June 1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today praised the Karnataka government for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Addressing the silver jubilee celebrations of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) via a digital platform, he spoke about the Karnataka government's efforts.

He appreciated the work of front-line warriors who are fighting every day in the war against COVID-19 and stressed the need to respect them.

"Doctors and other medical workers are soldiers without wearing the uniform of soldiers. Any kind of attack or violence against them is not acceptable," said Modi.

"There are incidents of violence against the front-line warriors. Any kind of abuse, violence or rude behaviour is not acceptable. The world is looking at doctors and medical staff with gratitude," he said.

"This is the biggest crisis since the two World Wars," the prime minister said. "Pre- and post-COVID-19, the world will be different. The discussions now at a global level are humanity-centric."

Stressing the importance of medical infrastructure, the prime minister spoke about the decision taken by the Union Government to set up a medical college in every district.

"A nation like ours has to have the medical infrastructure and medical education. Now, every district is going to have a medical college," he said.

However, the PM remained silent on salaries of front-line warriors. The Karnataka government has so far not released the salaries of doctors, nurses and lab technicians hired under National Health Mission.

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News Network
April 16,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 16: The Karnataka government on Wednesday identified 14 departments as essential and asked all its employees to attend work during the extended period of lockdown to check coronavirus spread in the state.

According to a circular issued by Chief Secretary TM Vijay Bhaskar, all classes of officials/employees in these departments must attend to their work.

The departments are: Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education, Home, Revenue, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Urban Development, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Information and Public Relations, Transport, Energy, Personnel and Administrative Reforms (e-Governance), Finance (including treasuries), Animal Husbandry and Fisheries and Forest, Ecology and Environment.

In all other departments, only Group-A officers have been directed to report for duty.

However, those visually-impaired or physically-

handicapped are exempt from work, the circular said, adding that this norms will be valid till April 19.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 20,2020

Lucknow, Jul 20: Dr Azizuddin Sheikh, who was fighting COVID-19 as a front line worker, passed away after contracting coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh. He is survived by a wife and three small children. 

40-year-old Dr Azizuddin, who hailed from Rajasthan, was serving as a paediatrician at Avanti Bai Hospital and Duffein Hospital, Lucknow for past few years. He had also worked in the Middle Eastern countries. 

When a large number of doctors preferred to stay home following the covid-19 outbreak, Dr Azizudin was working 16 to 17 hours battling the pandemic. 

According to sources, he tested positive for the covid-19 last month. “After the reports came positive, he had to call the concerned authorities many times to take him to the hospital,” recalled his family members.

He was first admitted to Lok Bandhu Hospital and was later shifted to KGMU after his condition deteriorated. Later he was taken to SGPGIMS.
 
“Despite following all the guidelines and taking every precaution while treating coronavirus patients, he tested positive for the covid-19. It’s a shock for all of us,” he said.

He used to console his family members and instill confidence among them, said one of his relatives. 

A local newspaper quoted his friends as saying that he was very dedicated in serving people that he used to take minimal possible fees from his patients. When the family asked him to increase consultation fees his reply would be, “They are poor people, how will they afford”?

After his death, one of his patients Alok Singh wrote about an incident. “When I asked doctor Sahib why he charges so less, his answer was I have to answer Allah. The truth that he has left us will always be the reason for our grief.”

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