Today, Lucknow CBI Special Court acquitted all 32 accused including BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, and then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Kalyan Singh of conspiracy charges for the demolition of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. It was said by special judge Surendra Kumar Yadav that "the demolition was not planned and involved 'anti-social elements' who got agitated and climbed the domes". He further added that "The accused tried to stop the demolition, and merely giving a provocative speech was not enough to prove guilt."
The centuries-old structure of Babri Masjid was demolished by a mob of Hindu Kar Sevaks (volunteers) in the city of Ayodhya, in Uttar Pradesh. This led to the registration of two separate FIRs – 197/1992 and 198/1992. FIR 197 was against unnamed Karsevaks for the demolition of the structure while FIR 198 was against eight BJP leaders for instigating the demolition of the structure.
The demolition occurred after a political rally involving 150,000 volunteers at the site turned violent. In Hindu mythology, the city of Ayodhya is the birthplace of Lord Rama and in the 16th century a Mughal general, Mir Baqi, had built a mosque, known as the Babri Masjid, at a site considered to be Ram Janmabhoomi, the actual birthplace of Rama. In the 1980s, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) began a campaign for the construction of a temple dedicated to Rama at the site, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) giving them political support. Several rallies and marches were held as a part of this movement, including the Ram Rath Yatra spearheaded by L. K. Advani. The demolition also resulted in several months of intercommunal rioting between India's Hindu and Muslim communities, causing the death of at least 2,000 people.
Last year, in November the Supreme Court ruled in favor of giving the disputed Ayodhya land to Hindu parties to build Ram Mandir, finding that the Muslims had failed to prove uninterrupted possession of the property in dispute. The Apex Court had nonetheless acknowledged that the act of razing down the Babri Masjid was illegal and directed the Centre to allot a five-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a mosque.
26 out of 32 accused were present at the court during the pronouncement of the judgment. L.K.Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi were not present in the court due to old age and COVID-19 restrictions. Ms. Uma Bharti was also not there as she was tested COVID Positive and admitted in the hospital.
0 Comments