India is bracing itself for the imminent verdict in the Babri Mosque case, razed by Hindu fanatics over two decades ago, to avoid any major fallout in case of an adverse ruling. The case can reignite tensions and the Indian government is reaching out to both Hindu and Muslim groups to maintain calm.
The verdict is expected before the retirement of the Indian chief justice on November 17, whether a Hindu temple should be built at the site of the medieval mosque in the town of Ayodhya. In 2010, the Indian Supreme Court had ruled that both groups should split the site. Hindus were granted the majority share but both sides opposed the ruling and filed an appeal.
Hindu groups claim that the mosque was built at the site of a temple by Mughal rulers and is the birthplace of their deity Ram. Many archaeologists have disputed these claims. Muslim have prayed at the mosque for generations until 1949, when an idol of Ram was placed there leading to the religious dispute.
The razing of the Babri Mosque by Hindu mobs in 1992 triggered the deadliest communal violence in India when more than 2000 people were killed – mostly Muslims. The event made Ayodhya the epicenter of Hindutva (the racist Hindu supremacist ideology) professed by the ruling BJP.
The BJP came to national prominence in the 1990s after it led a nationwide movement to build a temple in place of the mosque. The party has campaigned for three decades to build a grand temple at the site. Now with the party firmly in power, Indian Prime Minister Modi has vowed to fulfill the promise.
The dispute is one the most polarising issues that Hindus and Muslims have failed to resolve through negotiations. The ruling is likely to worsen the communal situation, and the vulnerable Muslim community could be targeted.
Indian authorities have banned the assembly of four or more people and thousands of troops have been deployed as the nation awaits the verdict with bated breath. There is also a close watch on inflammatory posts on social media with the help of ‘digital volunteer’ to flag sensitive content.
Muslims in India have been facing rising hate crimes, mob lynching, and erosion of religious and social values perpetuated by the divisive policies of the BJP regime. The verdict will have far-reaching effects which can tarnish India’s image and damage its economy.
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