Taking exception to Sangh Pariwar’s denial of Babri Masjid’s existence in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi asserted that Babri Masjid was in fact there, and it would continue to be there.
“It was a historical fact that Babri Masjid was there in Ayodhya. Muslims have offered prayers in it for 500 years. It was snatched from Muslims in a systematically designed conspiracy. Now, Sangh Pariwar [a group of right-wing outfits headed by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh] people are claiming that Babri Masjid did not exist in Ayodhya. Babri Masjid was there and it will continue to be there in Ayodhya,” Mr. Owaisi, who represents Hyderabad Constituency in Lok Sabha, said in his brief interaction with media representatives in Kalaburagi on Saturday.
Training his guns at the members of the INDIA bloc, the national level non-BJP alliance, for their pro-Hindutva inclination, Mr. Owaisi criticised Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who called for teaching of Hindu religious texts in government schools.
“Mr Kejriwal, who is part of the INDIA bloc, calls for chanting Hanuman Chalisa. How can you teach the religious texts of one religion in a government school where students from various religions are present? When Congress’ G.B. Pant was Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, an idol was placed inside Babri Masjid. That was never removed from there. When K.K. Nayar was the District Collector, the Masjid was closed and offering puja to the idol was allowed. Mr. Nayar was the first Parliament Member from Jan Sangh. In 1986, the Masjid was opened without the consent of Muslims and in 1992, the Masjid was demolished,” Mr. Owaisi.
Mr. Owaisi expressed discontentment over political parties playing with people’s religious sentiments to provoke religious groups against each other and trigger communal tension just to gain power.
“Those trying to polarise people along religious lines and mobilise majority votes are not answering the questions we have been raising. They simply showed the Muslims their place in India,” he said.
