People's Democracy

WOMEN’S organisations express their deep concern at the decision of the central government, at the instance of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, to refer for legal opinion, their demand to hand over to their representatives the acquired land around the site of the demolished Babri Masjid. This decision is a blatant violation of the commitment made by the government on the floor of parliament that the status quo would be maintained awaiting the final decision of the court on the ownership of the title deed of the disputed site. To try and make a ‘legal distinction’ between the disputed site and surrounding land, as is being done, is nothing but extreme political dishonesty. Handing over the surrounding land to one of the parties of the dispute is to present the courts with a fait accompli. The VHP and others of their ilk have declared in no uncertain terms that they want the surrounding land to build the temple with the sanctum sanctorum or garb griha in the place where the masjid stood. The decision by the prime minister also gives legitimacy to the outrageous and completely unacceptable decision to start building the temple by the VHP and others on the acquired land.

By this decision the ruling party has clearly shown that it is preparing to use the so-called temple card for political benefit in the forthcoming UP elections, regardless of the enormous damage caused to the secular fabric of the Indian republic and principles guaranteed by the Constitution of India, national unity and communal harmony.

As representatives of women who are the worst sufferers when secular principles are eroded, and who have a high stake in strengthening communal harmony and protection of the rights of minorities, we demand that the government RETRACT its decision and prevent the VHP and others from disturbing the status quo in any way.

All India Democratic Women’s Association (Brinda Karat), Centre for Women’s Development Studies (Vina Mazumdar), Joint Womne’s Programme (Jyotsana Chatterjee, National Federation of Indian Women (Pranati Mukherjee), YWCA of India (Mary Khemchand)