Leaders of Opposition parties on Wednesday expressed disappointment over the acquittal by a CBI court of all accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case. DMK president M.K. Stalin described it as “a shame on the rule of law”.
In a statement, Mr. Stalin said that even after the Supreme Court ruled that “the entire structure of the mosque was brought down in a calculated act of destroying a place of public worship,” the CBI had failed to prove the conspiracy.
He said it was not a question of mosques; encroachment upon and destruction of a place of worship of any religion amounted to an act of illegality and injustice. “Since the demolition of the mosque brought down India’s image in the international arena, the CBI should have acted with fairness and utmost care. It lost track and became the caged-bird of the BJP. It is a shame,” he said.
Mr. Stalin said that since the case caused a crisis to the Constitution, the CBI’s careless attitude would have severe consequences for justice.
TNCC president K.S. Alagiri said the verdict had shocked those who believed in the rule of law and governance. He appealed to the Centre to file an appeal. “The Sangh Parivar groups, including the BJP, mobilised thousands of people and destroyed the Babri Masjid in 1992. But Central investigating agencies did not gather enough evidence to prove the charges. This has raised serious doubts whether it [the CBI] has become a puppet in the hands of the BJP,” he said.
MDMK founder Vaiko said the demolition of Babri Masjid was in the works for years and ‘kar sevaks’ were prepared over months. “The mosque was demolished in daylight with the police and the Army watching. This was well-planned. Even the Supreme Court had said this was a ‘planned’ incident. The CBI court verdict that this was not a planned incident is akin to demolishing judicial response,” he said.
The CPI(M) State committee said the verdict amounted to a travesty of justice. “It took 28 long years for this verdict, but not for justice to be delivered. This verdict will blemish the image of India as a secular-democratic country governed by the Constitution. The CBI must immediately appeal against this judgment,” it said.
‘Final nail in the coffin’
Manithaneya Makkal Katchi founder M.H. Jawahirullah felt the verdict was the final nail in the coffin of India’s judicial system.
“It is the need of the hour to protest for an India that Mahatma Gandhi wished to create,” said Mr. Jawahirullah, inviting public participation in a protest to save India’s judiciary on October 1.
VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan said, “Everybody knew that L.K. Advani went on a ‘Rath Yatra’ throughout India to mobilise people for a congregation on December 6, 1992, in Ayodhya, to demolish Babri Masjid and encouraged people to bring one brick each to build a Ram temple in its place.”
“If people lose trust in the courts, they will lose trust in democratic principles too. It will disturb the peace in the country,” he said, calling upon the Centre to file an appeal.
MNM founder Kamal Haasan said the faith of every Indian that he would get justice should not be in vain. He wondered whether the failure to provide undeniable evidence and strong arguments was a planned act or a sign of irresponsibility.
