The attack on December 6, 1992 was more an attack on the secular Constitution of the country than on the Babari Masjid or the Muslims of the land. The Babari Masjid was merely a symbol. It was essentially the demolition of a Constitution that provided space for every culture, religion, language and all walks of life. On January 26, 1950 when the Constitution was promulgated a foundation stone for a nation of multi-cultures, languages, religions, beliefs was laid. Pluralism was to be our way of life. Unity in diversity was the key word.
On December 6, 1992 that edifice built on the foundation stone of "unity in diversity" was demolished. Simultaneously, a new foundation stone for a "Hindu Rashtra" was laid. It was to be a nation totally homogeneous with no kind of dissent. Unity in diversity was replaced by Unity in Uniformity. And in that nation of "Hindu Rashtra", there was to be no place for mosques, churches, gurudwaras ... etc. It was be an intolerant nation of Hindutvavadis where all were to follow the dictates of the Hindu bigots.
The nation was sharply divided between "We" and "They". In the "We" were included all Hindus irrespective of caste, sub-castes, creeds and beliefs. In the "They", besides the minorities and the Marxists were the Anglicised establishment and the self-confident social elite. The act of the demolition was to assert the power of the Hindu might to shatter the government, to unite all Hindus, humiliate the Muslims, minorities and other progressive secular groups. It was truly the exhibition of the Hindu strength and a clear message of defiance to all those who had banned or derided the RSS at one time or the other.
There was a feeling of triumph. The upbeat post-demolition atmosphere was pervaded by a vengeful feeling. There was boldness, militancy and vindictiveness. The message was crystal-clear: finally the time has come to restore the Hindu Rashtra. The secularists, Marxists, Congressmen and progressives can no longer control the Hindu power. Those who went on appeasing minorities and compromised on the basic tenets of classical Hindu ideology were shown their place. The violence on the Muslims was to tell all others who oppose the construction of Hindu Rashtra, the consequences of the opposition to the project. Justice is going to be done to the Hindus at last. There will be no more pseudo-secularism. The Sangh Parivar was finally recognised as large and powerful, even more powerful than the institutions of the state. The state in fact was made to feel helpless.
It is seven years since that act. The BJP supported by other parties took over power three times ever since – in 1997 for 13 days, 15 months after the elections of 1998; and in 1999. From a numerical strength of mere two in Parliament prior to the demolition, the party has arrived at the present number of 182. The way the secular parties have supported the group is an indicator of the increasing power of the Hindu Right. From (being) untouchable, the party is playing a central role in politics. Other than the Marxists, nobody thinks of the party as untouchable anymore. As for the Congress, several of their yestermen are in the party and many from the BJP have jumped into the Congress bandwagon. After all, there was not much difference between the two groups at the time of the demolition.
The consequence is that the project of constructing a Hindu Rashtra is far more strengthened. If one has to go by the recent election results, the party has won 21 out of 33 seats in the tribal belt. The SCs have been Hinduised too ... A large audience ... has come to accept the philosophy of the Hindu Rashtra in 1999 than in 1992. The group has found support from sizeable numbers in the media. In the colleges and universities more and more student unions and staff associations have won elections on the ideology of Hindutva.
The minorities and other progressive secular groups are still perceived as major enemies of the project. The attacks then were on the Muslims. The Christians have now been targeted. Amounting to 2.3 per cent of the nation's population with roots in the country for almost 2000 years, the community has been termed as belonging to an alien faith or the religion of India's colonial rulers ..
The attacks are meant to wean (Christians) away from Christianity and convert them to Hinduism. Kabir Panthis too have been under attacks. Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains on the other hand are treated as part of the Hindu fold and coopted to the Hindutva project. To further consolidate the project of Hindutvaisation, the latest scheme is of rewriting history and other books to inculcate in the young the existing social and ritual hierarchies. Now that the party is in power, the Hinduisation of the media, judiciary, academic bodies, universities, civil society and various other organs of the state are pursued much more vigorously.
... Presently there is a social churning in the party. The tension will weaken the party. Vaghela in Gujarat has shifted to the Congress. Kalyan Singh has begun his war on the upper-caste control in the party ... Several backward class leaders are likely to abandon the party. Though tribals and Dalits have voted for the party, there is no guarantee that they would remain within its fold ... Though Hindu nationalism has developed and expanded in the heart of the large and expanding middle class, it is yet to be consolidated among the millions of marginalised poor.
