Indian American group calls for speedy justice in Babri Masjid demolition case on 18th anniversary
Indian American Muslim Council (https://www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguard India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos has called upon the Government of India to mark the eighteenth anniversary of the tragic Babri Masjid demolition, with meaningful steps to redress the grave injustice and a renewed resolve to work for justice and communal harmony.
“Eighteen years ago, on this day, a violent mob driven by hate, attacked a centuries old mosque, and in so doing, challenged the secular foundations of our Republic. Tragically, the destructive ideology that was the genesis of the Babri Masjid attack continues to advance its divisive agenda. The people who lost their lives and property to the murderous mobs unleashed by the same forces that demolished the Babri Masjid have been waiting for justice for the last eighteen years.”, said Rasheed Ahmed, President of IAMC.
It is quite important to note that, while the Central Government used decisive and brutal force against the Sikhs inside the Golden Temple in 1984, and against the Kashmiris in Charar Sharif in 1995; it surprisingly did nothing to prevent the karsevaks from destroying the precious Babri Masjid, on Dec 6, 1992. A secular government should not have one standard in dealing with minorities, while having an entirely different one in dealing with the majority community.
The fact that judicial cases against L.K Advani and 67 others identified by the Liberhan Commission are still pending undermines the rule of law. IAMC has joined other organizations and people of conscience throughout India in calling for the expeditious handling of these cases. It is imperative that we, as a nation, reaffirm our commitment to the Constitution and its guiding principles of equality and justice for all.
IAMC asks the Supreme Court to review the Allahabad High Court’s October 2010 verdict, which placed the beliefs of one faith over that of the others. IAMC affirms that matters of faith and belief can never be the basis of judicial process. Judicial process must strictly be based on matters of fact and standard operative procedures of law.
The Government of India should uphold “The Place of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991”, that prohibits the conversion of any place of worship and provides for the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on 15th August, 1947. Although this Act does not apply to the Babri Masjid, it ensures that all other places of worship are protected and therefore beyond the snares of destructive, communal politics.
IAMC asks the people to exercise restraint during the upcoming anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition, and the Government to provide adequate security measures to protect the life and property of all, especially the weak and the vulnerable.
Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation.
Contact: Rasheed Ahmed
phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270
email: info@iamc.com
References:
Summary of Judgments: Allahabad High Court verdict on Babri Masjid Ayodhya case
http://babrimasjid.info/2010/09/verdict-on-the-babri-masjid/
Full Report Of The Liberhan Commission of Inquiry
http://babrimasjid.info/reports/
Indian American Muslim group expresses disappointment at the Court verdict on Babri Masjid Ayodhya issue
https://www.iamc.com/content/2010/sep/23/Indian_Americans_disappointed_wit…
Liberhan Commission Report inquiring into the demolition of Babri Masjid
https://www.iamc.com/reports/liberhan.comission.report.inquiring.destructi…
