By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
Jaipur: Renowned Ayodhya saint and head of Ayodhya Ki Awaaz, Jugal Kishore Shastri, has described the demolition of Babri Masjid as a terrorist act and demanded punishment to the guilty. But he said he has no hope that all of those indicted by the Liberhan Commission will ever be punished as communalism is deeply rooted in the judiciary and executive.
Shastri was addressing press on reaching Jaipur today leading a peace and communal harmony yatra from Ayodhya. The yatra took off on 6th December, the 17th anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition and will conclude in Ajmer on December 12.
We have taken out the yatra from Ayodhya – a city of common heritage and communal harmony to Ajmer — the city of Sufi Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti — the center from where the message of brotherhood, equality and humanity spread in the entire world. Yatra is spreading the message of equality, peace, brotherhood and humanity among people during its 1100 kms journey, Shastri said.
The yatra has passed through various districts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. They include Lucknow, Kanpur, Kannauj, Mainpuri, Ferozabad, Agra, Bayana, Bharatpur and Dausa. They have held public meetings and distributed peace literature. “We have distributed more than 20000 booklets on peace and communal harmony in our journey,” said Arvind Murti, a yatri. Ayodhya Ki Awaaz, Asha Parivar and National Alliance of People’s Movement have jointly taken out the yatra.
(2nd from left) Jugal Kishore Shastri, Er Muhammad Saleem and others leading the Peace Yatra
When the peace yatra reached Ram Niwas Bagh in the heart of the Pink City of Jaipur people from all walks of life were already waiting there to welcome the yatris. They were offered flowers as show of solidarity and good wish. Prominent personalities of Jaipur who welcomed the yatris and made a brief round of the city with them included Er Muhammad Saleem, state chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Advocate Abdul Qayyum Akhtar, General Secretary, All India Milli Council, Kavita Srivastava, National Secretary, PUCL, and Abdul Lateef Arco, president, Dalit-Muslim Ekta Manch, Rajasthan.
Jugal Kishore Shashtri talked to Mumtaz Alam Falahi of TwoCircles.net on issues related to the Aman Yatra and Babri Masjid.
Jaipur residents offering flowers to Shastri
What is the message you want to send across by this yatra?
We took out the peace yatra on 6th December from Ayodhya. This was the day when 17 years ago Babri Masjid was demolished and humanity was attacked in the Uttar Pradesh town. At least 17 Muslims were burnt to death and, according to official figures, 166 Muslim homes were put on fire. This was the loss of the humanity. By taking out the yatra on the same day we want to send our message across that the heinous incident must not occur again. Demolition of Babri Masjid was hatched to disintegrate the country. That was an antinational act. That was the second most dreaded terrorist act after the murder of Mahatma Gandhi.
What is your comment on Liberhan Commission report which has been completed after 17 years?
Liberhan Report is incomplete. Entire communal forces are responsible for the demolition but the commission has exonerated many. Besides, it is sheer injustice if a report on a criminal act is submitted after 17 years. This is not justice at all. The government spent a huge amount of Rs 17 crore on this commission. There is nothing in the report that should have taken so much money and 17 years to complete. I am of the view that the chief of the commission should be put behind bars.
Vans of Peace Yatra
Are PV Narasimha Rao and Congress equally responsible for the demolition?
Yes, they are equally responsible for the demolition.
Do you hope the guilty for the demolition of Babri Masjid will ever be punished?
I am not sure all of them will be punished as communalism is rampant in the country. There are three big communal forces in the country – judiciary, executive and media. Communal mind is deep rooted in the judiciary and the executive. We hope and want that the guilty are punished by the court. The public has already punished them.