Drawing World Parallels, VHP Calls Babri Demolition a 'Legitimate Act'

New Delhi: Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the religious arm of the Sangh parivar, believes that Babri Masjid was a monument 'of slavery' and 'getting rid' of it was a 'legitimate act' which has historical precedents from around the world.

"In an independent country getting rid of monuments of slavery has been a legitimate act but it is only in India Hindus are forced to tolerate desecration of their holy sites,” said the working President (External) of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Ashok Chowgule.

Legitimising the Babri mosque demolition, Chowgule drew parallels of Babri Masjid, which was brought down by Hindu Kar sevaks on December 6, 1992, with the demolition of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Russia and the Government-General Building in Seoul, South Korea.

The Polish people, who had by then gained independence from Russian empire by then, held the view that the building was erected to hurt Polish national feelings and negative connotations of being associated with Russian imperial policy.

The Cathedral shared the fate of many Orthodox churches demolished after Poland regained its independence.

Referring to these structures, Chowgule said that “the structures were meant not just for the ostensible purpose that the design provides. It is also an ocular indication that the people are slaves to a regime that has conquered them.”

Chowgule further added, “If the dialogue has to be renewed, as per the suggestion of the Chief Justice of India, we need to understand that it has to go forward from the area that is already covered. This includes the most recent court mandated archaeological investigation, after the findings of the Ground Penetration Radar Survey. The issue will receive full closure when there is justice done to the Hindus.”

Indian historian Harbans Mukhia said, “States and rulers throughout history around the world have demolished buildings of various types including places of worship. Several of them destroyed places of worship of their co-religionists. That includes Hindus and Muslims. Shall we be taking revenge on all of these quite apart from the fact that the existence of a Ram temple under Babri Masjid is still under dispute in the Supreme Court.”