Babri Masjid demolition- 6th December 1992

The day that marked the downhill slide of a secular India.

I remember the day clearly and the hour by hour prolonging of the horror.

As it became clear that the Babri Masjid was being allowed to be demolished in full public eye and in the presence of top BJP/RSS/VHP/Hindu right wing leadership, a horrible glee and joy started emerging in the eyes and voices of the early Hindutava supporters.

One such person was my aunt and a few people near my house in Dehradun. The neighbors brought sweets and my aunt took that and also offered that to my father and to me.

My father with deep pain and sorrow in his voice said-

“There is nothing to rejoice here and this day will mark the start of the end of India for which my father sacrificed his life. Please celebrate outside and not in this house”.

That was one amongst the many lessons that I learnt from my family and the memory of this day while painful, also reminds me why it is important for the few who care to continue this good fight for an inclusive, secular world where everyone can live, pray to whomsoever they wish, eat what they want, wear what they feel like and love whomsoever they want. And any hatemonger who tries to stop that MUST be resisted.

Even if this takes a lifetime and even if the society does not care.

Know all who demolished Babri Masjid and rejoiced, know all who created a structure there and think that any God can ever live in that place again, know all who think that they can break the spirit of a secular India- YOU WILL NOT SUCCEED.

You may demean us, defeat us, torture our mind and bodies and yet the spirit will stand tall and continue to stand up for a secular, inclusive India and the world till our last breath.

And yes, like my father envisaged, even death will not end us as our seeds will rise again from the ground and grow into a tree with branches to shelter the ones you try to mute.

Amen.