NEW DELHI: Thirty-three years have passed since Hindu extremists, backed by Indian state institutions, demolished the historic Babri Masjid, yet the wounds inflicted on the Muslim Ummah remain painfully fresh.
Thousands of Hindutva extremists associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and Bajrang Dal razed the 16th-century Babri Masjid on this day in 1992 in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.
The heartbreaking incident continues to haunt the collective conscience of Muslims worldwide. Adding to the anguish was the role of India’s higher judiciary, which in November 2019 permitted the construction of a Hindu temple on the very site of the demolished mosque.
In its verdict, the Indian Supreme Court not only reinforced the Hindutva narrative but also acquitted BJP hardliners, including L.K. Advani, in the demolition case. Hindu extremist mobs had also killed hundreds of Muslims and injured thousands who protested or resisted the attack on the mosque.
Marking the 33rd anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition, Pakistan said in a statement that Babri Masjid remains a part of the nation’s collective memory and that the events of December 6, 1992, continue to cause deep sorrow and distress. Pakistan said that the demolition stands as a stark symbol of intolerance and religious prejudice.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said safeguarding religious heritage is a shared responsibility of the international community and stressed the need for transparent accountability for attacks targeting Muslim religious sites. He added that the desecration of any place of worship violates the principles of religious equality.
He noted that since the Babri Masjid incident, Indian Muslims have continuously faced insecurity and psychological trauma. Pakistan, he said, remains committed to interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence.
He called on the international community to play its role in protecting Muslim religious heritage and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to minority rights and religious freedom. Pakistan also urged India to ensure equal rights and religious tolerance for all its citizens.
Meanwhile, in their statements issued in Srinagar, leaders and organizations of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) said that even after 33 years, the demolition of the Babri Masjid by mobs of BJP, RSS, and other Hindutva groups continues to weigh heavily on the hearts of Muslims.
