Proud of denying permission to fire on kar sewaks in Ayodhya, says former Uttar Pradesh CM Kalyan Singh |
Posted: August 14, 2020 |
Former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Kalyan Singh, said on Thursday that he was proud of his decision to refuse permission in writing to a question as to whether police should open kar sewaks (literally, religious volunteers) firing in Ayodhya on 6 December 1992. The kar sewaks had gathered to protest at the Ram Janmabhoomi -Babri Masjid site (it is assumed that the mosque was built where Lord Ram once stood, at the birthplace). The Supreme Court ruled last year on the decades-old conflict, and ordered the site to create a temple. The demonstration went out of control on 6 December 1992 and the mosque was demolished. Immediately afterwards, Singh 's government was removed, and the state was put under President law. In an interview, Singh, now 88, said that it was in a sense the demolition that paved the way for the Ram temple bhumi pujan (ground breaking ceremony) scheduled for August 5. "I would like to die after seeing the temple arrive in Ayodhya and then want to be reborn in the temple region," he said in a free-wheeling chat during which he remembered the events 28 years ago, Singh, who also served as Rajasthan 's governor, added that the Ram temple would lead to more tourism, and the new Ayodhya that would come up would also provide for growth. Singh is supposed to get to Ayodhya a day before the pujan bhumi. You were the chief minister when 28 years ago the Babri mosque was demolished and your government was cast aside. Today, as you prepare for the bhumi pujan to visit Ayodhya, how do you look back on those developments and all that has happened since then? I 'd call it Divine Providence. In 1528 the Ram temple at Ayodhya was demolished by Mughal emperor Babar 's general Mir Baqi, not because he wanted to construct another place of worship but because he wanted to taunt Hindus. So it was expected to demolish the dhaancha (structure) with me as the chief minister. If there had been no demolition, the courts would possibly have imposed status quo, too. So, in a sense, it was the demolition that ultimately paved the way for the bhumi pujan of August 5 and obviously, I'm elated. Questions have been raised whether as chief minister, you discharged your duty, and did enough to protect the mosque? I will tell you something. That day (December 6) amid the build-up, I got a call from the district magistrate of Ayodhya saying that nearly 3.5 lakh kar sewaks had assembled . I was told that central forces were on way to the temple town but their movement was halted by kar sewaks outside Saket college. I was asked whether to order firing (on kar sewaks) or not. I denied permission in writing and said in my order, which is still there on the files, that firing would lead to the loss of many lives, chaos and law and order issues across the country. And now, in hindsight, you feel you did the right thing? Yes, I am proud of my decision as today I can proudly say that I might have lost my government but saved kar sewaks. Now, in hindsight, I feel that subsequent demolition eventually paved the way for the temple. Was your decision, to not order firing on kar sewaks, shaped in anyway by the firing ordered on kar sewaks by the Mulayam Singh Yadav government in 1990? It (firing on kar sewaks) was wrong then (1990). Killing people is no joke. You are among the select invitees for the bhumi pujan. But, so far, majority of the top opposition leaders like Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Samajwadi Party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav, BSP chief Mayawati and others haven’t been invited. Are opposition leaders going to be invited for bhumi pujan? That is for the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust to decide but all that I would say is that though Ram belongs to all, most of the names you mentioned have opposed the Ram temple. The Ram temple is going to be real now, but you have also been speaking of ensuring employment. How do you think that will happen? Ram will ensure roti too. The temple will make Ayodhya a globally famous tourist place. A new Ayodhya is going to come up that would co-exist with the ancient one. All this would usher in jobs and prosperity. You say the Ram temple is like a dream realised. Any other wish? Yes, to live till the time the Ram temple comes up and then to be born again, possibly in Ayodhya.
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