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OPINION
DILEMMAS
HUMRA
QURAISHI
The Delhi-based writer I security bandobast (arrangement).
and columnist’s books
include Kashmir: The
Untold Story. She co-
authored a series of
writings with the late
Khushwant Singh and
her short stories are
part of anthologies.
The views expressed
are her own
Muslims stay quiet and
sad over Ayodhya verdict
Their worries are compounding on two accounts – what happens to
the other mosques in the country and what’s going to be their fate, in
terms of the vital feeling of security
sat forlorn after hearing the witnesses. Not to overlook the so-called
Ayodhya verdict. Even, I tried dis-
Stress levels compounded as another
tracting myself but couldn’t
hold back all those memories con- news came in of police force firing, killing
nected to December 6, 1992 — the and hounding Muslim protestors who
day Babri Mosque was destroyed in were against the mosque demolition as
a seemingly well-planned and system- to mourn or protest freely was also not
atic way. The build-ups and aftermath permitted Uttar Pradesh. Not to forget
memories of the destruction is still tight the incidences when Muslims were
and make me nostalgic. Perhaps, I could targeted ruthlessly on aboard trains
call it one of those turning points in my and buses, their houses being marked to
life when I snapped the vital trust in the attack — taking back to the horrifying
establishment post the demolition. It left partition times.
me feeling emotionally hurt and bruised And those days, I would set out to visit
with the constant thought nagging me Seelampur locality in Delhi to report
that the Sarkar was incapable of pro- about Muslims facing the worst possible
tecting minority structures, humans or police brutality. One incident left me
otherwise. numb with shock when several Muslim
In 1992, I was residing in a Sarkari men shared with me the level of police
residential colony of New Delhi. Days brutality inflicted on them. They shared
before that fateful day, so much ap- that police would look for circumcision
prehensions were growing among the marks to pick the Muslim men and then
Muslims that the Muslim civil servants will begin the torture.
were packing their families back to their The mosque destruction brought
ancestral places, mohallas, clans. We the communal elements to the fore.
decided to stay put, though the fear was I am talking of the so called educated
mounting because of violence witnessed and liberal class who would mouthed
during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots when the the worst possible comments not just
police machinery couldn’t protect the in social get-togethers but even in
Sikh civil servants residing in official official meets, etc. And yes, they got
bungalows at Lutyens’ Delhi. What if the away with it. If LK Advani and all the
goon brigades attack the Muslim civil kar sevaks could get away with all that
servants? mosque destruction and other series
We removed the name plate outside of destruction that followed, so, why
our bungalow as it carried a Muslim couldn’t the rest of them?
name and holed up inside, worrying. Do you remember the one striking
Then came the final news of the mosque picture of LK Advani, Uma Bharti and
destruction that hit us hard. Everything Murli Manohar Joshi gleefully hugging
snapped and crumbled. At first, we and clasping each other at the mosque
couldn’t believe that in a democratic demolition site? I cannot erase that
country like India religious structures picture from my mind, more so because
could be so systematically destroyed instead of facing any trial or punishment
in the presence of thousands of eye- or imprisonment for the mouse destruc-
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