From: budaraju@cae.wisc.edu (Srinivas Budaraju)
Subject: Babri Mosque - some background - 2/10
Organization: U of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering
Date: 11 Dec 92 14:43:57 CST
Followup-To: soc.culture.indian

The following are excerpts from an interview of Asghar Ali Engineer by Sridhar
D. Damle, a free-lance reporter for India Tribune (Chicago) and co-author with
Walter K. Anderson of the book "The Brotherhood in Saffron: The Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh and Hindu Revivalism", Vistaar Publications, New Delhi,
1987.  Some extraneous or redundant material has been deleted; a few
grammatical errors have been corrected; subheads have been put in for clarity.
 
The interview took place on Dec 2, 1990, in Chicago.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
2. CONTROVERSY POLITICAL, NOT HISTORICAL
 
D: According to some of the people, one way to solve the problem
is to appoint a special tribunal, regarding all controversial
matters. Not only regarding RJB and BM, but regarding all
controversial matters and settle the business once and for all.
 
A: No, this is political first and political last. It is not a
religious issue. It is not a historical controversy. Had it been
a historical controversy, historians from both sides would have
debated; politicians would not have poked their noses in the
whole issue. Now, here the historians are taking positions, but
it is not the historical controversy which is causing the
turmoil. It is political controversy. Political leaders from both
sides are giving final statements. One side is saying that they
are bound to contruct a temple there and the other side says they
will not give an inch of the area under dispute.
 
D: But what about the tribunal?
 
A: But how can the tribunal resolve the issues? Already, VHP and
BJP have said that even court decisions they will not accept.
Suppose the Court refers the matter to historians and historians
give some verdict and on that basis, the Court gives some
judgement. Will BJP and VHP accept it? They are already saying
this is a matter of their faith. This cannot be resolved by any
court. So, after having taken that position, the tribunal does
not [mean much].
 
Look, tribunal is all right if the controversy is historical, not
political.  If the issue is to be resolved on basis of history,
there is no case and no proof that any temple was razed to the
ground. There is not a single [piece of] evidence in favor of it,
except that the pillars carry Hindu gods' and goddesses' images.
On that basis, you cannot say that a temple was there unless
there is clear proof about it.  This is speculation. They could
be the ruins of a temple, they can be ruins of a palace, they may
be ruins of a Buddha Vihar, as has been claimed by Ambedkar's
wife that actually it was a Buddha Vihar over which the mosque
has been constructed. So, not to Hindus but it should be handed
over to Buddhists. So, it is highly controversial, there is no
historical proof. So, what would the tribunal decide? When BJP
and VHP know it in advance - they know that their case is weak
and they are saying that it is a matter of their faith. We will
not accept any court judgement.
 
D: Your argument is that there is no historical proof.
 
A: For RJB/BM there is no historical proof.
----------------------------------------------------------------- 
-Srinivas				budaraju@cae.wisc.edu

Xref: sparky soc.culture.pakistan:18418 soc.culture.indian:41280