ram, allah and the people of ayodhya

The Babri Masjid – Ram-janmabhoomi case is slated for 24th September in the Lucknow bench of the Allahabd High Court. Right now all concerned organisations including the central and state governments, political parties, Hindu and Muslim front organisations and civil society groups are appealing for peace. But who is supposed to create trouble if not them? The people of Ayodhya?

People of Allahabad are a worried lot, both Hindus and Muslims. As the day of court verdict approaches, their worries are growing. The day of verdict could have come and gone like a normal day but for the politicians and ‘religious leaders’ who will like to milk it for their political gains.

A few of my colleagues hailing from Ayodhya tell me, there used to be no talk of Hindu-Muslim riots or any disharmony till a decade ago. Even now, Hindus and Muslims live in harmony – they share tea, evening games and talks, shops and even houses, sweets during festivals, their sorrows and joys. Most of the times the other guy’s being a Hindu or Muslim does not matter any more than a matter of different faiths. The thought that the other one is his ‘enemy’ does not come to them even after the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992 and whatever has been happening after that date. Even on that day, most of Allahabad’s Hindus who joined the outsiders did so because of crowd frenzy, drama attached with the event and constant provocation by Hindu fundamentalists. Of course, there were a handful of hardcore Hindus and self-proclaimed patrons of Ram temple.

Ayodhya has become a fortress of sort, with security of different shades covering the disputed area and also the rest of the city. Though life so far is going on as usual, the coming days might get tougher. I saw a TV report in which people of both the religions were praying to their gods to give wisdom to people to live in peace and let others live in peace.

Ram, Allah, and other Gods must be waiting ‘with bated breath’ for the court’s verdict and must also be feeling sad for having descended on the earth for teaching the humans the path of virtue. They must also be ruing the day they decided to give humans a higher level of intellect than other animals and allowed them turn scheming politicians. They must also be realising their even worse mistake in letting religious leaders become petty politicians more than pious preachers. I am sure, even if there is no universal god, and different gods have given the licence to their followers to follow their faith the way they like, they must not be fighting for a piece of land in the heaven.

photo courtesy PTI