National
Flashback: Journalists recall Babri demolition as they saw it
New Delhi, Dec 6 (IANS) After 25 years of Babri Masjid demolition, journalists here on Wednesday recalled their experiences of reporting on the watershed moment in the Indian politics,concluding that the act of vandalism which brought down the mosque was not a spontaneous act of passion of the people but outcome of a meticulous conspiracy hatched at the top.
They discussed the event, which divided Hindus and Muslims in its wake quarter of a century back, at the Press Club of India at the invitation of news website The Wire.
Referring to a “classic” news footage of the episode, Senior journalist Saeed Naqvi said none of those featuring in it spoke for Lord Ram or what the agitation was about, but the whole exercise was “choreographed” and was in fact directed against Pakistan.
“I was one of those stupid converts who thought that ‘Babri Masjid’ was negotiable. I thought the Hindu ‘aastha’ was for the Ram Mandir,” said Naqvi who was a reporter for The World Report in 1992 — the year of Masjid demolition.
“After Babri Masjid, Indian communalism reached a pitch from where it could never retreat … and it’s going to be extremely difficult for it to make a retreat,” he said.
He added that the Babri Masjid episode was but one aspect of the race between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress for the “consolidation of Hindu votes” against “minority extremism”.
Another journalist who worked as a Special Correspondent for Business India recalled her ordeal of getting molested and fatally attacked at the hands of vandals when she went inside the mosque during the demolition to see what was going on.
“It was packed with saffron-clad karsevaks… Someone heard someone say ‘Musalmaan’ and they tried to smother me thinking I was a Muslim. Some of them even molested me and tore my clothes, until I was rescued by one of them who recognised me as I had interviewed him a day before,” Ruchira Gupta, now an independent journalist, said.
“When I approached Advani (L.K Advani) who was at the ‘terrace’ and told him to ask people to stop attacking journalists, he said ‘apne sath jo hua wo bhool jao, itna aitihaasic din hai uski khushi me kuchh meetha khao (Forget what happened with you, have some sweets, it’s such a historic day),” she recounted.
Advani concluded his every “Rath Yatra”, Gupta said, with an exhortation to the crowd to build the temple where Babri Masjid once stood.
“The misogyny, the sexism has become part of the ruling party (BJP)’s framework,” she added.
Praveen Jain, a photojournalist with The Pioneer then, recounted how he came across a group of people doing a proper “rehearsal” of the moves which felled the mosque a day later.
“I was taken to a site near the ‘masjid’ by a BJP MP, who gave me a saffron scarf and Vishwa Hindu Parishad i-card also… I saw several men practising there with spades and ropes upon a mound made for the purpose. The methods were used the next day in bringing down the mosque,” Jain, with Indian Express now, said.
Mark Tully, Chief of Bureau at BBC then, said: “What was completely disgraceful was that the authority of the government completely collapsed. There was no government in Ayodhya that day. Security forces remained parked in nearby areas and offered no resistance… ‘Karsevaks’ had complete control over things. Obscene slogans were shouted against Muslims.”
The Supreme Court on Monday began final hearing on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid issue after 2010, the year when a high court judgement had divided the site between three parties — Sunni Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara and Lord Ram Lalla.
— IANS
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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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