Setting aside the RSS and BJP for their proclaimed Hindutva ideology and their role in the demolition of the Babri Masjid, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi attacked secular political parties, particularly the Congress, for their tacit and dubious involvement over the years that contributed to the masjid's demolition.
In an interview given to The Indian Express, the Hyderabad MP links a surreptitious collaboration between the Congress and the RSS in the early years of the Ram Temple movement – from the secret placing of the idol inside the masjid to the Congress government’s failure in removing the idol and Rajiv Gandhi’s opening of the masjid for Shilanyas. According to him, these actions played a crucial role; if they had not occurred, the political scenario would have been different.
Further establishing the Congress party’s double standard in the Ram Temple and Babri Masjid dispute, Owaisi referred to senior Congress leader Kamal Nath’s statement that it was Rajiv Gandhi and the Congress party who opened the locks of the mosque in 1986, taking credit for the demolition of the Babri Masjid that led to the construction of the Ram Temple, to outsmart the BJP’s claims.
Owaisi went on to slam the other political parties for their announcements regarding their attendance at the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. He suggested that their claim, stating that it is the presence of Modi that stop them from attending the function, makes it clear that all the so-called secular parties are, in tandem with the BJP's communal politics.
Owaisi accused opposition political parties of playing a duplicitous role in the Babri Masjid-Ram Mandir saga. Owaisi questioned the Opposition's stance on the events of December 6, 1992, emphasizing that various secular parties were equally responsible for the lack of action that could have prevented the demolition.
Owaisi condemned the recent inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya as a calculated move by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to solidify his grip on Hindu voters ahead of the looming Lok Sabha elections.
Owaisi traced the roots of the Ayodhya dispute back to 1949 when an idol was surreptitiously placed in the Babri Masjid, marking the beginning of a series of events that marginalized Muslims and ultimately led to the demolition of the mosque in 1992. The AIMIM leader argued that the recent inauguration, coupled with the 2019 Supreme Court judgment favouring the Hindu side, further symbolizes the marginalization of Muslims in contemporary India.
According to Owaisi, the BJP's aggressive push for the Ram Temple and the subsequent inauguration serve as a symbolic celebration aimed at reinforcing the dominance of the majority community. He highlighted Modi's earlier comparison of the temple construction to the Indian freedom movement, stating that it implied that Indian Muslims were not considered truly Indian.
Furthermore, Owaisi expressed concern that the Supreme Court's judgment and the temple inauguration might embolden movements in other locations, such as Varanasi and Mathura, where attempts could be made to reclaim mosques on the pretext of being built on temples. Despite laws prohibiting the conversion of religious places of worship, Owaisi criticized the courts for allowing such litigations to proceed.
He singled out Uddhav Thackeray of the Shiv Sena, who openly claimed responsibility for the Babri Masjid demolition, and criticized the Modi government for not appealing against the court verdict that found no one criminally liable for the demolition.
The AIMIM leader argued that the Opposition's refusal to participate in the temple inauguration was merely a political move, with parties like the Congress dismissing it as a "Modi event."
As the Opposition grapples with internal differences and attempts to position itself as a formidable force against the BJP, Owaisi raised questions about their ideological coherence. He particularly criticized Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's announcement of reciting Hanuman Chalisa and Sunderkand Path in government schools, questioning the appropriateness of such actions in institutions that are meant to represent a diverse population.
He questioned the ideology behind Arvind Kejriwal’s, Delhi Chief Minister, proposal to introduce the recitation of Hanuman Chalisa and Sunderkand Path in government schools.
There was uncertainty about whether this approach aimed to counter the BJP, he said referring to Arun Jaitley's perspective, questioning why people should prefer the duplicate when there is an available original and pointing out the tacit Hindutva played by the AAP.
The ambiguity persisted regarding whether government schools should represent a particular faith or embrace and celebrate all faiths, including those who don't believe in the Almighty God. He observed deliberate confusion among them, drawing a parallel to simultaneously aligning with one side while opposing it.
Owaisi concluded by emphasizing the need for clarity and consistency among the Opposition parties, warning against what he sees as deliberate confusion that could weaken their collective stance against the BJP.