Babri Case: ‘Cong Must Stop Divisive Politics & Encourage Healing’

Rajeev Chandrasekhar argues here that Congress had ‘used’ the Babri demolition to settle political scores with BJP.

(This is Part-III of a series of commentary on the Babri demolition verdict of 30 September 2020. The Quint invited experts to weigh in on the matter. Part-I can be accessed here. And Part-II can be accessed here.)

Almost three decades ago, the Congress party pressurised the PV Narasimha Rao government to file a CBI case of criminal conspiracy, in the unfortunate matter of the Babri Masjid demolition.

That the Babri Masjid demolition was a spontaneous act by a mob was never really in doubt. The filing of this case of criminal conspiracy by the Congress government and the CBI was actually the ‘real conspiracy’ – ‘hatched’ by the Congress to play its vote-bank politics for the next three decades.

How many votes and elections have been won by the Congress on this issue alone?

The Congress’s ‘intention’ was always clear – to use the tragic event of the Babri Masjid demolition to settle political scores with the BJP leadership, and to add to their decades of vote-bank politics by fear-mongering Indian Muslims, and creating further mistrust and divisiveness with this ‘BJP political conspiracy’ narrative.

Did CBI Really ‘Dilute’ Babri Demolition Case?

The court ruled on 30 September that there was no evidence to show that there was a ‘criminal conspiracy’ and that evidence submitted by the CBI – like newspaper cuttings – is either ‘hearsay’ or ‘inadmissible’. In Indian criminal jurisprudence, an accused is innocent until proved guilty, and it was upto the CBI to produce evidence and material to prove their case of criminal conspiracy and guilt. They couldn’t because they was no evidence to justify the conspiracy charge.

To those alleging that the CBI perhaps ‘diluted’ the case under pressure from the government, it is important to note that the case made by the CBI and evidence presented, were all done BEFORE the PM Narendra Modi-led government took over in 2014.

How Congress & BJP ‘Differ’ On Matters Of Law & Leadership

Leaders like Advaniji, Murli Manohar Joshi, and Kalyan Singh have had to live and suffer these accusations, through all these years, as the case of criminal conspiracy dragged on.

This case also highlights the difference between BJP and Congress on matters of leaders and law.

The BJP steadfastly believes in the due process of law, and despite the Atal ji-led government from 1999 to 2004, never interfered in the CBI case or made any attempt to withdraw it. This is in sharp contrast to the Congress and its conduct, that allowed many accused to ‘bypass’ the law, such as in the Bhopal Gas tragedy case and the Bofors case.

‘Time To Build A United India’

The Congress government never really tried hard to investigate the tragic demolition. Instead their only objective was to hastily file a ‘false’ criminal conspiracy case based on ‘dubious’ evidence on these BJP leaders – an attempt to stymie the rise of the BJP and trap its leaders and continue its political strategy of divisive politics.

Yes, there was a ‘criminal conspiracy’ hatched three decades ago – it was the ‘criminal conspiracy’ of ‘dynasty and leadership’.

The time is right for the Congress and other parties to stop this divisive politics and instead encourage healing and reconciliation to build a strong united India.

(Rajeev Chandrasekhar is a Member of Parliament and National Spokesperson, BJP. He tweets @rajeev_mp. This is an opinion piece. The views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for them.)