Memorandum to District Magistrate on 22 December: DOA and FATEHA in Mosques on 23 December, 1990

"To mark the 41st anniversary of the illegal occupation of the Babari Masjid, the Babari Masjid Movement Coordination Committee (BMMCC) has decided to observe the following programme:

1. At every district headquarters, a District Action Committee shall submit a Memorandum to the District Magistrate on 22 December, 1990 for onward transmission to the Prime Minister demanding:

a) Central Legislation to maintain the status of all places of worship as on 15 August, 1947;

b) Restoration of Babari Masjid to the Muslim community through day-to-day hearing of the title suit so as to expedite the final judicial verdict;

c) Ban on agitation in any form in violation of the status-quo order of the High Court;

d) Ban on militant organisations like Bajrang Dal;

e) Ban on inflammatory and provocative audio and video cassettes as well as prosecution of those who make such speeches and raise such slogans.

Copies of the Memorandum may be sent to the State Babari Masjid Action Committees as well as the Babari Masjid Movement Coordination Committee.

2. In every mosque, after Zohar congregation, on 23 December, 1990 there should be a 'Doa' for the liberation of the Babari Masjid and other Masjids in illegal occupation and a 'Fateha' for the eternal peace of the innocent persons killed in communal attacks and police atrocities.

The BMMCC advises the people that there should be no public meetings or processions of demonstrations or rallies on this occasion."

Joint Appeal By Political Parties

A meeting was held today (December 5) in the Prime Minister's Office. The following attended the meeting:

Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Yashwant Sinha, Satya Prakash Malaviya, Subodh Kant Sahay, V.P. Singh, JD, Madhu Dandavate, JD, Santosh Bagrodia, Cong(I), M. Farooqui, CPI, Indrajit Gupta, CPI, Harkishan Singh Surjit, CPI(M).

The developments relating to Ramjanambhoomi-Babari Masjid issue were reviewed. The meeting appreciated the beginning of a dialogue between the two sides.

The meeting appealed to the BJP and VHP to abandon the programme of satyagraha starting December 6 so that the dialogue could go on in a cordial atmosphere.

(Source: New Age, New Delhi, 9 December, 1990)

 Left Parties: Joint Statement, 18 November, 1990

The Left parties strongly condemn the VHP's call for a "second phase" of the kar seva at Ayodhya from December 6... for building the temple at the disputed site. The VHP has also announced that it will take the ashes of those killed at Ayodhya round the country and hold meetings. This is a move calculated to rouse passions and anti-minority feelings.

All these activities will further vitiate the atmosphere and strengthen the communal divide. These activities are directly against the interests of the country.

The Left parties demand that the Central Government announce its firm stand of opposing these provocative activities of the VHP and the BJP, and take all necessary measures to preserve peace and communal amity. Similarly, the UP Government also will have to adopt adequate measures to maintain law and order and foil any communal mischief at Ayodhya and in the rest of the State.

The Left parties will work in concert with all other secular forces to conduct a mass campaign to expose the disruptive nature of the BJP and the VHP stand.

 CPI(M): STATEMENT ON PROPOSED KAR SEVA

The CPI(M) and the Left parties have consistently maintained that they would support any settlement of the Ayodhya dispute which would be acceptable to both sides.

Now there is talk of allowing the VHP to conduct kar seva at the Shilanyas site. The shilanyas site falls within the ambit of the disputed area as defined by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court.

The Congress(I) in UP is now advocating that the kar seva be allowed at the shilanyas site on December 6. But they do not explain how the structure of the mosque will be protected, without an overall agreement with the VHP that they will alter the architectural plan for the temple so as to not encroach on the structure of the mosque.

Any step to permit construction at the shilanyas site on December 6 without committing the VHP to alter its temple plan, which extends to the heart of the Masjid, as the sanctum sanctorum would mean the demolition of the structure. This would be a disastrous step, harmful to national unity, and will permanently damage communal amity.

The Central Government and the UP Government have to see that any proposed solution takes into account this vital factor.

The V.P. Singh Government had no other option but to defend the status quo at the disputed site in Ayodhya, given the fact that the VHP and the BJP rejected all attempts at reasonable compromise in keeping with the defence of secular values and maintenance of communal peace in the country.

(Source: The People's Democracy, New Delhi, 2 December, 1990)