Friday, October 1, 2010

United we stand, Divided we fall.

United we stand, Divided we fall!
Endless stories have taught us that moral lesson. And as children we seem to have understood it, at least learnt it in the rote method. But to everybody’s disappointment, in the present scenario, the judiciary not only endorses a divided culture and history but also flaunts it.
After 60 years a judgment on Ayodhya saw daylight. Let's just quickly glance through the before and after effect. Everyone openly agreed that violence was not an option. Everyone also agreed that no matter how lousy it sounds, let man decide on GOD!

Two days before the verdict we saw political parties appealing for peace, Bollywood actors appealing for peace, possibly dogs and cats on streets appealing for peace, therefore suddenly turning the common man of this country into the most dangerous and dreaded mind, who has nothing better than a riot to plot!. All this drama continued while kids enjoyed two day off in schools, offices worked half time (not mine) and news channels had a field day gathering TRPs’.

Anyhow, the point being, after agreeing to everything and anything we saw this judgment. Let’s give it a thought. Not a Hindu or a Muslim thought, just a thought. What did we do as a nation who already has tasted the blood of division?
Partition was given to us as a legacy by the British. We cried over it, killed over it yet carried it. Today we go back to that state of imperialism where the voice of the subaltern has been crushed forever, because today we are divided again, but not by ‘them’ but our 'own'. Many might say this is not the same as dividing people; it’s a mere division of land so that people can be united. I am sure many in this country have already convinced themselves that the judgment is for the best.
But according to me this sort of verdict only assures us of one thing, that we as a nation are still afraid to speak the truth and more importantly tell the truth because it's bitter and difficult. 


If the three judge committee agreed that the disputed land originally had a temple, it also agreed that according to the Muslim tenets a mosque cannot be built on the ruins of another religious structure, therefore  categorically pointing out that Babri Masjid cannot be recognized as a Masjid.
Last but not the least, the High Court dismissed the Waqf board’s claim on the land. And technically that's what they had to decide. Whether the claim was valid or not valid. Having dismissed it, you are in not so many words saying that there is no claim! 
So will someone explain to me that if the claim has been dismissed, then why was the decision to give 1/3 rd away made? Definitely not to build a car park for the devotees! 


Why are we scared to say what has to be said? 


The Muslim brothers too have reiterated the same point. That they would have been happier if the entire land was given away but this kind of division doesn’t solve any purpose. What it does is question the intelligence of the 1 billion plus population of this country. 
Obviously, the matter will go for appeal to the Supreme Court. And I am hoping that there someone will show some courage and announce a real verdict. Let there be a true judgment deciding for once and all whether we have the ability to hear the not so pleasant.
The media and Mr. Chidambram, are confident that India has moved on. It has grown and matured as a country. It believes that no matter what the verdict, communities will come to accept it. So how about testing this change and maturity? If we as a nation believe that we have come a long way then let’s gather the courage to hear the real verdict.
No one is impressed with the Honorable Court’s stunt as a fairy god mother trying to send every kid with a return gift from a birthday party. This is no party and that land is no gift. Let us find true honour in accepting what is right. And trust me you wouldn’t need any court for that. Let us be brave and United in acceptance.


And as citizens of this country we do expect the courts to have the courage to go all the way and announce a verdict on the basis of their findings and not on a hypothetical desire to please all. 


To accept such a verdict with dignity would mean a true shift and a dawn of a new India.
P.S. (Division in mathematics mean breaking, cutting a whole into two or many. And as shown it has different results. Let’s not justify that Math in History or Literature and call it a verdict!)

10 comments:

  1. Nicely written and well described. My compliments to you.

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  2. its a well articulated writeup. the point of partition is good. in fact i was thinking on the same lines as soon as i heard the decision.

    I as a hindu dont believe that it was the Ram Janambhumi...might be a mandir but specifically pointing out that its janambhumi is pretty abstract..
    and i am not muslim sympathiser either...they built numerous masjids where ever they invaded which was totally wrong...
    but is it only them who did this...the history of religion is such that when it has to be spread its done by force..take hindus, christians etc...we all did it to various extents right upto the 14-15 century... then a new religion which came into being in the 6 th century and it started the life cycle exactly the same way as others had done before...we have problems with this religion because they havent come to the stage of acceptance and we have..

    my point is this--

    at the time when Babar demolished the temple, which law governed?--it wasnt the IPC...thus in my opinion we cannot actually decide if there was a crime committed at the time with the societal framework of that era..

    but in 1992 we had a law of the land and that law wasnt enforced thereby historically justifying the crime!!that for me is not done..

    in 1992 a mosque existed at the place, so the true judgement should have been in muslim's favour--frankly on that day we justified the existence of Pakistan!

    I am not saying that hindus shouldnt crib, they should...On the issue of was the place sacred for us, it reminds me of what Krishna said to yudhisthar(or someone i dont quite remember)...mujhe wahan jalana jahan aaj tak koi death nahi hui...and no one could find that place...
    similarly as hinduism is the oldest religion there wont be a place on this earth where we didnt have our sacred deities(330 million btw)...so the argument of taking down the mosque was wrong...and if the argument was wrong then there should have been a mosque(the court couldnt even decide on the title either)

    these were some of my thoughts..i agree to you in your realting it to partition completely...but in my view as Hindus we did nt have an automatic right there of things which happened hundreds of years ago..

    sorry for the muddled thoughts, but i hope i managed to give you my vewpoint.

    again very well written and kudos

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  3. Nakstra! Thanks a lot.. I totally agree with your points.. And like I said before the Courts just did not know what exactly were they giving out their judgment on, The gods or the Mortals! Keep dropping your views.. I really look forward to it.
    Lots of love...


    Devesh. thanks to you too sweety...

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  4. Hmm. The judgment is a typical example of Solomon's justice. Emotionally, a fantastic judgment. But legally, a shame. You're right, we still cannot speak the truth. As a lawyer, I believe it is a sad day for the legal fraternity. One plea raised against the deferment of the judgment was that we cannot be held ransom to possible consequences. Ironically, the judgment is on the same lines - we are still held ransom by apprehensions. Vague ones, of impending catastrophe.

    The reconciliation which was denied outside the courtroom, has in effect, been effected vide this judgment.

    Anyway, its not the end of the chapter. It will come to the Supreme Court in appeal (and not re-appeal, as you put it!) As for the bravado of the Supreme Court, time will tell.

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  5. Ever heard of majority appeasement? Well, thats what we were witness to yesterday. It grew out of a fear of the possible reactions to a 'real' verdict. The judiciary has shamed us. It went beyond its brief. It was to decide on the title suit and not how the dispute should be resolved.

    Chidambaram may say that India has matured but the party (Congress knew all along) clearly isn't ready to risk testing the waters ahead of the CWG and Bihar elections.

    The judgement has shown that we are a country that lives in fear. Our judiciary too hasn't got the courage to speak the truth, whatever the consequences. It pronounced a verdict based on 'faith' and not 'facts'.

    Ours is a country that is letting fringe elements dictate our future.

    I am left speechless now when a Muslim friend after the verdict asks, "Did we make a mistake staying back after Partition"?

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  6. A well-written piece, Miloo! I read a news article in the Washington Post by an Indian correspondent and then read your Blog Post. The article in the Post states that four lawsuits were brought in the case...one among them was "whether Ram was really born there," and in another "Ram is named as a petitioner." Wow! No further comments on the topic -- don't want to make this my own Op-Ed!
    Enjoyed your post...keep writing!

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  7. Very thoughtful paper Divya.I am not sure why the division?Perhaps judges had not many choices.This was an extremely difficult case affecting not only one individual or a family but entire nation.
    Lots of love and best wishes

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  8. Earliest of human remains were found with broke arrows in their rib cages. Violence is in our blood, genes, DNA, etc.

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  9. V.well written,I think most of us feel this way,but no one dares to voice it.....thanks to our Politicians policy of appeasement.'sab ko khush kar do,vote to sabse lena hai,sahi galat kaun dekhta hai.Jiyo aur jine do.'I wish atleast the courts were above this....

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  10. Would like to congratulate the blogger for her outright approach towards reality. And would like to add that the decision was a clear manipulation of the peer pressure put in by the UPA, as they wanted to escape another untoward incident, after bridges falling! Supreme Court on the other hand, i feel should and would take a stand and make it either left or right, no midway. The days are gone when Courts were an independent entity, unperturbed by Politics.

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