Amid growing clamor for a survey of Muslim mosques and shrines in various parts of the country, from the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal to the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had recently said that raising such issues on a daily basis was “unacceptable”.
An editorial in the latest issue of the RSS-affiliated magazine, The Organiser, argued that knowing the true history of disputed sites and structures was important for “civilizational justice”.
The magazine carried a cover story on the Sambhal Masjid controversy, where it claimed how a “temple exists on the site” of Shahi Jama Masjid in the UP city. It also describes Sambhal’s troubled communal history.
Notably, the cover story and accompanying editorial articulate Bhagwat’s cautionary statement on temple-mosque controversies, the demand for truth in the context of religious sites that have historically been attacked or destroyed is a necessary undertaking.
“The time has come to address this quest for civil justice. Babasaheb Ambedkar went to the root cause of caste discrimination and provided constitutional remedies to end it. We need a common approach to end religious bitterness and disunity,” said an editorial written by magazine editor Praful Ketkar.
The editorial argues that this can only encourage separatism by Muslims accepting the “truth” and rejecting it.
“This approach that acknowledges the truth of history, separates Indian Muslims from the perpetrators of iconoclasm and religious supremacy, and addresses the quest for civilized justice offers hope for peace and harmony. Such access to justice that some colonial elites and pseudo-intellectuals want to perpetuate the practice of ‘short secularism’ And denying the right to know the truth will encourage radicalization, separatism and hostility,” the editorial said. is
On December 19, addressing an event in Pune, Bhagwat asserted that the Ram temple in Ayodhya was a “matter of faith” for Hindus, but that raising “such new issues on a daily basis” was “unacceptable”. “Extreme hatred, malice, enmity and suspicion”.
Earlier, The Indian Express had reported that with a spate of cases filed seeking Hindu rights at various Muslim places of worship, the growing number of such incidents in different parts of the country seems to be causing unease within the Sangh Parivar. The report said that Sangh leaders felt that such multiple claims undermined the “genuine claim” of Hindu rights to monuments such as the Jnanavapi Masjid in Varanasi or the Mathura Idgah. The report also flagged the Sangh Parivar’s silence on the matter as such petitions gathered among its workers.
The organizer’s story and editorial seem to argue that it is important for the country’s Muslim community to acknowledge the “historic injustice” inflicted on Hindus by the invaders. “This fight is not about religious supremacy to know the historical truth from Somnath to Sambhal and beyond. This is against Hindu customs. It is about reaffirming our national identity and seeking civilizational justice,” says the editorial.
As part of the magazine’s cover story, Aditya Kashyap’s article, “Healing the Historical Wounds”, states: “Acknowledging historical wrongs makes it easier to acknowledge injustice, laying the groundwork for dialogue and healing. It also helps promote reconciliation as transparency helps to better understand different historical Promotes mutual respect and understanding between communities with stories.”
Courts must apply it “with sensitivity to the complexities of history and belief,” the article argues.
“A judicious approach in this regard can be achieved through unbiased academic and archaeological research, scientific survey and inspection, preservation of heritage by preservation of living structures, open public dialogue and restorative justice by acknowledging the most important historical wrongs, and restoration of places and sites. Communities and their cultural revitalization initiatives Adds permission to take care of these structures or premises.
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