Sitting on a Time Bomb

The much awaited verdict from the Allahabad High Court on the Ayodhya dispute was finally out yesterday (September 30, 2010). Though much water has already flown under the bridge and the issue doesn’t invoke the same sentiment as it did 18 years ago when the Babari mosque was torn down, the fear that the centre and the state government displayed on this was unlike anything that I had seen or known before.

Earlier in the day, I was in conversation with someone in the family and thought that the idea of building a structure like a school or a hospital which could serve members of all community alike was better suited in the interest of the nation. It was only later in the evening when I went for a walk and ran into one of the security guards posted in my locality that I actually saw where the takers on the issue were. This guy was a lean, frail elderly man with gutkha stained teeth and crooked legs. As I was about to pass him, he came across and with a basic courteous bow asked me “Saahab, faisaley ka kyaa hua?” (Sir, what was the verdict?). I was a taken aback a little.

In the cocoon I had built around myself on the issue, I believed that the Ayodhya was only an ailing political issue that had nothing to do with either the younger generation or the common man as none had time or energies to spend on an issue which has always been instrumental in dividing people than doing any good. And here was a guy who wanted to know the details on how the land where the disputed temple/mosque stood was being divided as if he would pull out a dagger if the verdict was not in line with his interest.

“Why do you even want to know? How does it matter if there is a temple or a mosque?” I asked him.

“Nahi Sahib, wahan toh mandir hi chahiye” (No Sir, it has to be a temple there") he was adamant.

I felt my stomach churning. I was in school during the times when the Babri mosque was demolished. I could recall that an uneasy rest prevailed everywhere during those days. We were confined to the household for a few days that followed. There were provocative  cassettes of Uma Bharti and others in the saffron brigade and on the other side, green flags were hoisted on rooftops and mosques and specific localities. For a brief moment, I could see those days returning to scar people again. I thought it was futile arguing with this guy. His thought process was shallow and he certainly could not see the issue in light of national interest over what he was fed and brought up on.

I walked off in disgust only to land up at my local barber shop for a hair cut. Incidentally my barber belongs to the ‘other community’. Javed normally, as if by rule, is a cheerful happy go lucky kind of fellow. But on this day, as I walked into his shop, he looked solemn.

“Kya hua Hero? Muh kyon lamba kar rakha hai?” (What happened? What’s with the sullen face?”) I asked him.

“Kuch nahi sir.. woh Ayodhya ka faislaa aaya hai?” (Nothing Sir, the verdict on Ayodhya is out). He replied.

Clearly he was dejected at whatever he heard and could interpret. His movement and body language suggested he was definitely not in best of his moods. He went about his task in a mechanical sullen way. As I paid him for his services and walked out of his shop, I heard him curse the verdict and the judges who passed the verdict and the system and all he could think of.

This morning I was very disappointed with the tone in which Times of India projected the judgment. The headlines read “2 parts to Hindus, 1 Part to Muslims” instead of 1/3 parts to 3 parties. I fail to understand if they were trying to interpret the judgment in communal light or simply trying to instigate people to trash the verdict altogether and spark off another riot. Whatever be the case, the ground reality remains that the can of worms is open again. I guess it is only a matter of time that someone would light the fuse again and a political party would jump in (Mulayam Singh almost started off this today) to seek mileage on the issue. Just hope that our judiciary and the apex court looks at the entire matter with a more humane aspect when the case is presented to it (as it looks certain as of now) and comes out with a judgment that leaves no loose ends.

A hospital, school or maybe even a cricket stadium instead of a temple or a mosque would serve the people better..just that I don’t see that happening in the current state of affairs. The calm before the storm lives on as of now.. let’s see how long does it last.