Tinderbox

I was far away in America when they swarmed up like ants and pulled the Mosque down.

1992. Dec. 6th.

Months and months of Mr. Advani's yatra, years of statements drumming up the demand for the temple. Bricks being blessed and sent to Ayodhya to build the temple.

But there was still a problem. The mosque was still standing. Police barrackaded the site.

That did not stop them. They swarmed. No unplanned swarm this. Some one was there to take the idols out. The whole structure was torn apart. Then the idols were brought back.

Since then my taxpayer money has been paying to keep 'the disputed structure' open. Anyone, rich or poor can go to pray there. You have to leave all your possesions that could be used otherwise (pen, waterbottle, belt etc), but you can go for the darshan.

Later today at 3.30 PM the Allahabad high court is to deliver its verdict on a century old set of cases - as to who owns the land where the idols are currently installed.

The whole nation is carefully, carefully holding its breath. Security is high. No one knows what will happen. Most expect that whichever religious community feels that 'they have lost' will react violently.

When the mosque was razed in 1992 it led to blood baths. The worst was the sectarian riots in my beloved city of Bombay. It has never been the same since. There were always certain areas where more Muslims lived. Now we have ghettos. In Thane, our suburb of Mumbra is now synomous with Muslim. A huge change in the way we live. Tragic because it means that we are now living in different worlds.

Our housing society has an 'ustav mandal' which comes around collecting money for the festivals. 'We celebrate all the festivals' they say 'and patriotic days too.' 'Christmas' is included in the list. Eid is not. We do have Muslims living in our housing society - but they are largely invisible. I have many reasons why I do not want to give money to these guys - one of them being that I don't have much regard for hoary Mr. Santa Claus. I have always told the merry men who come asking for donations that 'we don't donate.'

So why is everyone so uptight about the verdict later today? We know that whoever is considered the 'loser' will promptly appeal to the supreme court. We will then have another who-knows-how-many-years of 'deliberations'?

What our uneasyness tells us is that ultimately we are very, very far from reconciliaiton of any sort. We try to brush aside the past, turning a blind eye to what has gone on. No riots means peace. 'Aaaal izzz well' is our motto.

But the reality is that below the surface of normalcy lies the fear. Things have never been properly settled. We have had riot after riot after riot. Some months after each new flare-up, the occasional retired judge is called in to make a report. People are quizzed. Suggestions are given. Most of the time even if cases are filed they are dragged on so long that the accused die of old age.

The message is clear. Do what you want when you can. The law will take its course.

That's why everyone knows that we are in a tinderbox. People are scared. Very scared.

Our prayer is that the verdict will be fair and clearly expressed.

Our prayer is that whoever is the unhappy party will not decide that burning their neighbour or bombing the local market place is best way to express their displeasure.

Our prayer is that our much-maligned paramilitary forces will be marshalled and cohesive - esp. if mobs appear and their superiours are hesitant to deploy them.

But deeper than all this... we want a country where we can believe in the rule of law. Where we are free to worship and share our views without fear. Where there is no doubt about the execution of justice towards one religious group or the other. Where past wrongs can be genuinely explored and true reconciliation take place.

Will September 30th 2010 be a step in that direction.... or a step, or two... away?