Babri Masjid and Muslim India
On December 6, 1992, Hindutva extremists pulverized the five hundred year old historic Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. The demolition was then followed by violence directed at Muslims. Rather than taking action against the perpetrators of this heinous crime, the Government of that day and the police further targeted Muslims.
Communal riots broke out in several parts of India and a large number of Muslims were killed, their property looted, and many arrested for protesting against the desecration of their mosque. Victims were treated as perpetrators and perpetrators were left free to terrorize the victims. An atmosphere of barbarity, fear and despondency hovered over the Muslim community. There was darkness all around. Muslims were forced to think about their future in India as their existence was in danger. The onslaught was precise and planned to break the morale of the Muslim community. But the resilient community fought back bravely. It resisted the communal forces with help from their peace loving Hindu countrymen and some political leaders, including VP Singh and Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Muslim India remembers December 6 as a black day. While the wounds were fresh, Indian Muslims observed the day each year remembering the destruction of the Babri Mosque and the ensuing violence. But the passage of time has turned December 6 th into another forgotten day in history.
A few Muslim organizations have continued to hold protests and demonstrations on this day. Come December, some Muslim leaders will issue statements from their sprawling offices, demanding the reconstruction of the mosque at the same site in Ayodhya as promised by the former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao. The rest of the year passes without a murmur. The same ritual is repeated again and again. Muslims are no longer interested in the court cases relating to the Babri mosque.
Some Indian Muslim organizations are aware of these cases, but have done very little. Legal activist Mushtaq Ahmad warns that due to the Muslim leadership
