The nation is supposedly heading for a decisive moment in history, when the Supreme Court is expected to deliver its long-pending Ayodhya verdict. The verdict could come any day before November 17, the last day in office for the present Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi. The system in the Supreme Court of India, we are told, is such that if any single judge retires while hearing a case as a member of a multiple Judge bench before pronouncement of the judgement, the hearing of the matter restarts from the very beginning. This present situation could go either way. It is obvious that in its present economic predicament, the Government of India also would like this case to work as a miracle savior for it. That too could be both ways. In other words, if the judgement is pronounced and it goes in favour of the Hindoo organisations’ claim, then the ensuing enthusiasm could help in igniting communal passions, which could deflect attention from economic despair. On the other hand, if CJI Gogoi retires without pronouncing the judgement, then everything will restart which, in turn, would keep the embers of hyper Hindooism burning for a much longer period, which may benefit certain political interests.
Major forces on both sides of the contentious issue – the RSS on one side and Moslem organisations on the other – have made it clear that they would stand by the verdict, whichever way it turns out to be, whether it be for or against their interests. In sum, the judiciary’s word, as isn’t always the case, will be the last. To this extent, there will be no dispute is what is being told to us now.
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The central issue on which the judgement will be delivered is on the Babri Masjid-Ram Janambhoomi title dispute. After the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgement in the case, as many as 14 appeals had been filed before the Supreme Court, contesting the HC verdict that the 2.77acres of land in Ayodhya be partitioned equally among three contending parties – The Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. After a long pause, followed by a 40-day hearing, the final verdict is expected to come from a five-judge Constitution bench headed by the Chief Justice himself.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has said whatever the verdict, it will be accepted in toto by his organisation, and the BJP has taken a similar stand. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath have advised restraint and calm in people’s response to the verdict. A ban order against assembly of persons has already been imposed in the Ayodhya region, and there is advice against celebrations, as also protests, in the streets in Uttar Pradesh and beyond.
The message from both sides is that no extreme reactions should be expressed over the verdict. Bhagwat has asked all the affiliated organisations of the RSS to hold meetings across the country and ensure calm is maintained throughout, and avoid celebrations in case the verdict will be favourable to Hindoos. A meeting of Moslem religious leaders in New Delhi on Saturday expressed similar sentiments. The meeting called by the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat resolved to maintain peace and harmony after the verdict is out. The meeting stressed that the ‘impact and consequences’ of the SC decision must be taken ‘positively’ in the context of the overall progress and development of the country.
Notably, the Ram Janambhoomi issue, which turned politics in the country upside down since the beginning of 1990s, also caused serious social divisions, and riots killing many in north-Indian states as also Mumbai. India stood divided on religious lines after the demolition of the Babri Masjid by a pro-Hindutva crowd led by the Viswa Hindu Parishad in 1992, resulting in killings of over 2000 persons in the riot-affected regions. The Godhra train burning incident in 2002, in which Moslems were allegedly involved, and the Gujarat riots that followed, led to large-scale killings of people, mostly of the minority communities.
With this as the backdrop, it is a matter of relief that the contending parties are approaching the day of the verdict with caution and appeals to maintain peace as also calls to avoid provocations of any kind. One can only hope that the words being mouthed by leaders of various organizations come from their hearts and not from deceit.
