Organization: Penn State University
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 14:18:26 EDT
From: <DXA4@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian
Subject: Ayodhya Dispute (RE: View From Afar)

>This interesting article appeared in 'The Afternoon Dispatch And Courier',
>Bombay, 9/15/92. This is by a non-Hindu/Muslim writer. I am reproducing in
>here without permission.
>
>Alok Agarwal
>
>                           VIEW FROM AFAR
>                           By K. F. Rustamji
>

Following article by the same author on the same subject will also make very
interesting reading. This had appeared in 'The Newstime' of Hydrabad, July 27,
and is Mr. Rustamji's response to the developments which took place that month
in Ayodhya. He appeals Muslims to hand over the disputed site to Hindus with
good grace. I am here providing only few excerpts from this article.

Dinesh Agrawal...
**************************************

Let Muslims Hand Over Ayodhya Site With Good Grace
K.F. Rustamji (First Commandant of the BSF)

My biggest lament is for those parties (National Front, Left Front and Muslim
League) who have discerned that the temple will be built, have realised that
overthrowing the UP government may mean a big upheaval and a defeat of the
Central government, yet they want it to serve narrow and mean political
interests.

The one course that has been gathering support because of the 'Kuch-to-karo'
editorials is for ousting the UP government for failing to carry out the court'
s orders. In the first place has the UP government declined to carry out those
orders. If the chief minister of UP, tries to carry it out, assures that he is
carrying it out, and fails, can it be said that the government ignored the
orders of the court. What do the vakils and constitutional pundits want.
Firing at kar sevaks, another 20 killed by Central forces, another attack on
the muslims, and 2000 dead all over India. Or do we want a police refusal to
open fire, and acceptance of it by the state government, which would start a
new trend in police indiscipline.

The Congress has ceased to be party of fresh political ideas. Why pack the NIC
with those who will not accept the idea of a negotiated settlement. Why not
capitalise on the fact that the people of Faizabad and those immediately in
and around Ayodhya have come forward for a settlement, sincerely want a settle-
ment, so that their lives may not be endangered again and again by outsiders.
Why not put them on the NIC.

Has Congress tried to develop the right trend in Muslim politics? As the senior
party should, they have not done their best to foster harmony. On the other
hand, they have failed, as at Jamia Milia, at Patna, and many other places, to
protect those who are liberal. The community that rejected Maulana Azad, has
never understood what type of leadership is required in a democracy.

If the Babri site had been given by the Muslims to the Hindus with good grace,
the agitation that developed over it would have been avoided, even the rise of
the BJP checked, and the course of Hindu-Muslim relations put on the right
tract for at least a decade.

The speeches in the NIC meeting that resounded with elan and eloquence were
those of the BJP-particularly the speeches of Sikander Bakht, Shanta Kumar and
Shekhawat, and the one who stole the whole scene was the less known Kalyan
Singh of UP who spoke in that Hindi with the practised art of a rabbled-rouser,
and the expert modulation of an actor. He seemed to say 'I will try to enforce
the court order, but give me time, and don't blame me if I fail.' He had one
trump card in his hand and he showed it slowly, diffidently, expertly - there
has been no communal trouble in any district of UP during my term of office.
He seemed to look at Mulayam Singh Yadav when he said it. On the other hand
Congressmen hardly seem to be interested in the subject, while V.P. Singh
looking defeated and depressed, his only hope being uproar in Parliament.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian