A week after the killing of al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday night spoke to U.S. President Barack Obama over phone and discussed the situation in the region. while the Ruling Zionist Brahaminical Hegemony and the Government of India Incs bank on War on Terror, Nuclear Strategic Realliance in US Israel lead and Islamophobia to evoke Hindu Blind nationalism to cover up Mass Destruction and Ethnic Cleansing with Unprecedented Push for Foreign Capital Inflow, Strategic Marketing of Genocide Culture in Rural Agrarian India, Economic Reforms, DISINVESTMENT, Indiscriminate Land Acquistion, INFRASTRUCTURE and Financial Labour Refrms as Indicated by World Bank slave Brahmin FM Pranab Mukherjee, while the Marxists and their Trade Unions are on Demise and Marxist Menace takes over to help POSCO, VEDANTA and India Incs and MNCs, while Media, Intelligentsia and Civil Society run for Pro US Democratic Movement,The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Allahabad High Court verdict that directed division of 2.77 acres of land of the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya into three parts among Hindus, Muslims and the Nirmohi Akhara.Why Indian Prime Minster is so Late?
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A week after the killing of al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday night spoke to U.S. President Barack Obama over phone and discussed the situation in the region. while the Ruling Zionist Brahaminical Hegemony and the Government of India Incs bank on War on Terror, Nuclear Strategic Realliance in US Israel lead and Islamophobia to evoke Hindu Blind nationalism to cover up Mass Destruction and Ethnic Cleansing with Unprecedented Push for Foreign Capital Inflow, Strategic Marketing of Genocide Culture in Rural Agrarian India, Economic Reforms, DISINVESTMENT, Indiscriminate Land Acquistion, INFRASTRCUTURE and Financial Labour Refrms as Indicated by World Bank slave Brahmin FM Pranab Mukherjee, while the Marxists and their Trade Unions are on Demise and Marxist Menace takes over to help POSCO, VEDANTA and India Incs and MNCs, while Media, Intelligentsia and Civil Society run for Pro US Democratic Movement,The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Allahabad High Court verdict that directed division of 2.77 acres of land of the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya into three parts among Hindus, Muslims and the Nirmohi Akhara.
Why Indian Prime Minster is so Late?
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The penultimate leg of the multi-phased West Bengal Assembly elections was held in 38 constituencies on May 7, 2011.
Hindu reports:
A Bench of Justices Aftab Alam and R.M. Lodha, admitting a batch of appeals from both Hindu and Muslim organisations, stayed the September 30, 2010 judgment of the Lucknow Bench of the High Court and directed the parties to maintain the status quo at the site.
Those who filed the appeals included the Sunni Central Wakf Board, U.P.; the Nirmohi Akhara; the All- India Hindu Mahasabha and Bhagwan Shri Ram Virajman. Senior counsel P.P. Rao, Anoop Chaudhary, Ravi Shankar Prasad, M.N. Krishnamani, Ranjit Kumar, K.N. Bhatt and C.S. Vaidyanathan appeared for various parties. They unanimously urged the apex court to stay the High Court verdict and restore the status quo order passed by the Supreme Court in 1994 and March 2002 in respect of the activities on the 67.703 acres of government land acquired in January 1993.
This prompted Justice Alam to tell counsel: "at least on one issue, all of you are unanimous. The High Court has granted a new relief, which nobody has asked for it. The High Court has done something on its own. It has to be stayed."
Justice Lodha told counsel, "The High Court's judgment is something strange. A new dimension has been given by the High Court as the decree of partition was not sought by the parties. It was not prayed for by anyone. It has to be stayed. It's a strange order. How can a decree for partition be passed when none of the parties had prayed for it. It's strange. Such kind of decrees cannot be allowed to be in operation. It is a difficult situation now. The position is that the High Court verdict has created a litany of litigation."
The Bench said the status quo at the disputed site would remain as directed by the 1994 Constitution Bench and the order passed on March 13-14, 2002. The Bench, taking note of the 2002 order directed that on the 67.703 acres located in various plots detailed in the Schedule to the Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya Act, 1993, "which is vested in the Central government, no religious activity of any kind by anyone be permitted or allowed to take place."
The Bench, while directing the status quo to continue, made it clear that the existing "pujas" in the make-shift Ram Lala temple at the disputed site would go on as usual.
In its appeal, the Wakf Board assailed the High Court judgment. It contended that the suit was decided on the basis of belief/faith of a section of the Hindu community for which there was no admissible evidence. The court had wrongly held that a temple existed at the site in dispute before the construction of the Babri Masjid, while there was no evidence to prove the existence of any such temple or demolition thereof in or around 1528 AD. It argued that the claims of Muslims, Hindus and the Nirmohi Akhara over the disputed site were mutually exclusive and could not be shared.
The Hindu Mahasabha sought endorsement of the September 30, 2010 minority verdict by Justice Dharam Veer Sharma, who favoured handing over of the entire land to Hindus. It said, "The judgment by Justice S. U. Khan and Justice Sudhir Agarwal should be set aside to the extent that one-third of the property in dispute has been declared in favour of Muslims and to allot the share to them."
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2003448.ece
Sources, however, did not say whether the two leaders discussed the bin Laden issue. PMO spokesman said Dr. Singh and Mr. Obama discussed further growth and development of India-U.S. relations and the situation in the region.
"It was a warm conversation which covered wide-ranging subjects", he said.
This is the first conversation between the two leaders since the killing of Osama on May 2 in a raid by U.S. Special Forces in the garrison city of Abbottabad.
Dr. Singh had termed bin Laden's killing as a significant step forward and asked the international community and Pakistan in particular to work comprehensively to end the activities of all terror groups.
The Prime Minister had hoped that bin Laden's elimination would deal a "decisive blow" to al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups".
The telephonic talk came on a day when the U.S. President raised questions about the possibility that "some people inside of government" in Pakistan may have been involved in providing support structure for the slain terrorist.
"We don't know whether there might have been some people inside of government, people outside of government, and that's something that we have to investigate and more importantly, the Pakistani government has to investigate," he told the CBS News in his first interview after bin Laden's death.
"We think that there had to be some sort of support network for bin Laden inside of Pakistan. But we don't know who or what that support network was," Mr. Obama said.
In Islamabad, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani virtually questioned the U.S. role in the 1990s that gave birth to Taliban and al-Qaeda saying Pakistan alone cannot be blamed for bin Laden even as he dismissed criticism of Islamabad's complicity in sheltering him.
With the last and sixth phase of the Assembly elections in West Bengal, covering 14 constituencies, all set to begin at 7 a.m. on Tuesday (May 10), the Election Commission has made "unprecedented security arrangements" considering all the constituencies come under the hotbed of naxal activities.
Besides 700 companies of the Central Police Forces (CPF) which have already been moved to provide security cover in the constituencies coming under West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura districts, another 125 companies of the State armed police and local police have been deployed to ensure all goes well during the polling, an EC official said here on Monday.
Besides three helicopters and CPFs on anti-landmine vehicles would be patrolling the sky and the ground to ensure that the electorate – 26,578,434 – exercised their franchise in a peaceful atmosphere without fear or violence. Of the total voters 12, 87,967 are women.
With the completion of this phase of WB poll, the process of polling that began on March 1 with the announcement of poll schedule for Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, Puducherry and West Bengal will come to an end and the counting is to be taken up on May 13 at 8 a.m. in all the four States and Puducherry.
A total of 97 candidates are in fray for this phase of WB poll and of them seven are women. The Commission has set up 3534 polling stations in the three districts and declared all of them as "hyper sensitive".
West Midnapore has the highest of seven Assembly constituencies, followed by four in Purulia, and three in Bankura.
All parties satisfied with SC's order on Ayodhya
New Delhi: Various parties to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit today expressed satisfaction over the Supreme Court order staying the Allahabad High Court direction for tripartite division of the disputed land.
The counsel for various parties, including Lord Rama Lalla Virajman, Hindu Maha Sabha and Sunni Waqf Board, expressed satisfaction over the apex court's interim order saying that none of the parties had sought division of the 2.77 acre land.
"There will be no change of situation at ground zero (the make-shift temple of Ram Lalla). The pooja will continue as per the January 7, 1993 order," senior advocate Ravi Shankar Prasad, who is representing Ram Lalla Virajman, told reporters in apex court premises after the hearing on the Ayodhya dispute.
After the demolition of the masjid on December 6, 1992, the demonstrators created a makeshift temple. On January 7, 1993, the Congress government enacted the Ayodhya Act 1993 which preserved the status quo of the destroyed mosque and limited prayer on the disputed site.
Sunni Waqf Board counsel Zafaryab Jilani said, "We are satisfied with today's order of the Supreme Court...This will help in maintaining peaceful position in the country."
"Everybody had claimed for exclusive rights, so Supreme Court is completely justified in staying the high court judgement," he said, adding, "Sunni Waqf board will ask the court to expedite its hearing in the case."
Expressing satisfaction over the apex court order, counsel representing Hindu Maha Sabha said, "Nobody prayed for it (partition of land into three parts). Everybody wanted full land. Our stand continues that entire Janmabhoomi premises belongs to the Hindu Maha Sabha."
The Supreme Court today stayed the Allahabad High Court's verdict dividing in three parts the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi- Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya, terming as "something strange" the judgement although the parties had not asked for trifurcation of the land.
The court, while staying the September 30, 2010 judgement of the Lucknow bench of the high court, ordered status quo at the site.
Source: PTI
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Situation in violence-hit areas tense, Rajnath Singh detained
Cong intensifies attack on Mayawati govt on land acquisitionIBNLive.com - 42 minutes agoPTI | 10:05 PM,May 09,2011 New Delhi, May 9 (PTI) With controversy over land acquisition related violence in Uttar Pradesh deepening, Congress today stepped up attack on the Mayawati government comparing the situation with that of Singur and Nandigram ... Congress seeks judicial probe into Greater Noida violenceMangalorean.com - 28 minutes agoNew Delhi, May 9 (IANS) The Congress Monday sought a judicial probe into the violence involving farmers in Uttar Pradesh and said the amended Land Acquisition Bill should be passed by the parliament at the earliest. Party spokesman Manish Tewari made a ... Uneasy calm at Greater Noida's 'ground zero'Business Standard - Virendra Singh Rawat - 1 hour agoUneasy calm prevailed in the trouble spots of Bhatta Parsaul villages in Greater Noida (Gautam Buddha Nagar district), bordering the national capital, with heavy police deployment to preempt any ugly situation. The issue relates to land acquisition and ...
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Tension prevailed on Monday in parts of western Uttar Prasdesh hit by farmers' unrest over land acquisition even as a heavy police deployment was made in the affected areas and political leaders were detained preventing them from reaching the troubled spots.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Rajnath Singh and Samajwadi Party leaders Shivpal Singh Yadav and Mohan Singh were detained by police along with their supporters when they tried to proceed towards Greater Noida where prohibitory orders have been clamped following Saturday's violence.
Terming the Mayawati government as being "anti—farmer", the leaders alleged that it was buying land at cheaper rates from farmers and selling them to private developers at high premiums. They demanded a judicial inquiry into the firing incident in Bhatta village in Greater Noida where two policemen and two farmers have died.
"We have also asked for setting up of a two-member committee of retired judges to decide the land compensation issue," they said.
"Situation is completely normal and so far 22 people have been arrested in connection with Saturday's violence," Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) Brij Lal, who is camping in Greater Noida, said.
About 5000 personnel belonging to PAC, Rapid Action Force and police have been deployed in the Greater Noida villages, police said.
Searches were being carried out to arrest farmer leader Manveer Singh Tewatia and his aides Gaje Singh, Premveer, Neeraj Mallik, Kiranpal and Manoj, police said.
Mr. Tewatia, who has more than 20 cases against him, has been leading the farmers' agitation at Bhatta—Parsaul since January 17. The state government has announced a reward of Rs.50,000 for the arrest of Mr. Tewatia.
Rewards of Rs.15000 each have also been announced for the arrest of three other accomplices of Tewatia which included Mallik. Police teams have been sent to Mr. Tewatia's home village in Bulandshahr and other areas.
In Aitmadpur in Agra where farmers and police clashed yesterday, four FIRs have been lodged in connection with the violence and arson by villagers.
In Aligarh, another troubled spot, an FIR has been lodged against 40 people, of which 15 had been named in connection with the violence in Khangoli village on Aligarh-Mathura border.
Around a dozen more farmers were also detained this morning in connection with the violence in Greater Noida, Additional District Magistrate O.P. Arya said.
Bhatta and Parsaul villages in Greater Noida have been converted into fortresses with additional deployment of Provisional Armed Constabulary (PAC) and two-km radius area has been sealed, police said.
Mr. Arya said a criminal-farmer nexus at Bhatta village was being investigated.
On the antecedents of Tewatia, Arya said, "The reward on arrest of Tewatia speaks for itself. Farmers do not carry weapons and resort to violence and kidnapping of officials.
Tevatia misled the innocent farmers
Mr. Arya said a search was on for a police carbine, an SLR gun and a rifle that had gone missing during the violence.
In view of the agitation, the state government is considering setting up a PAC base at Noida and Greater Noida for which three sites were being looked at, district administration sources said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Tewatia's wife Nutan has alleged that family members were being "harassed" by the police. She said her husband was not a criminal and had been fighting for the farmers' cause since the last four months.
She said she had met her husband on January 10 and since then he had left the village and was sitting at Bhatta fighting for farmers' cause.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, Agra, Aseem Arun said, "Situation is totally normal and four FIRs — three by construction companies and one by police — have been lodged against the trouble makers".
He said so far 24 people have been identified and efforts were being made to arrest them. Those identified have been named in the police FIR.
To avert further violence, heavy police force has been deployed in and around Aitmadpur area.
"As of now 400 civil police personnel, two companies of PAC and one company of Rapid Action Force is camping in the area," Arun said.
After Sunday's arson, construction activity has again started on the site.
Four policemen and some villagers were injured in clashes between the police and villagers near in Aitmadpur tehsil on Sunday.
The irate villagers indulged in arson and brick batting, damaged vehicles and allegedly opened fire after which police used force to disperse the mob.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Aligarh, Satyendra Veer Singh said, an FIR has been lodged against 40 of which 15 have been named."
The SSP said the situation was normal in Tappal village and work on Yamuna Expressway is underway.
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Assailing the Sep 30, 2010, judgment of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, the apex court bench of Justice Aftab Alam and Justice R.M. Lodha said that by directing the partition of the disputed site in Ayodhya, the high court has given an entirely new dimension to the case.
"It is a rare judgment whose operation has to be stayed" and an "entirely new dimension was given (to the case) by the high court (by its verdict)", the apex court bench said.
"It was a strange and surprising order that was not prayed for by any of the parties and cannot be allowed to remain," it said.
"We have read the judgment twice," the court said, adding, "Nowhere was there a prayer by any party seeking division of the disputed site." The court said the case has opened a "litany of litigations".
Justice Lodha said, "Partition (verdict). This is something surprising. Nobody prayed for partition."
"(High) Court has done something strange by its order," Justice Alam pointed out.
The Lucknow bench last year ordered that the land around the disputed site would be divided into three parts -- one for the Ram Lalla deity, another for Sunni Wakf Board, and the third for Nirmohi Akhada, a Hindu sect and an original litigant in the case.
Even as senior counsel representing the contending parties argued over what part of the high court verdict should be stayed and to what extent, the court said: "There has to be clarity. The apex court verdict of Jan 7, 1993, (for status quo) must remain in operation till we hear the matter."
Senior counsel Ravi Shankar Prasad of the BJP wanted that the high court verdict be stayed and that would automatically stay further proceedings to operationsalise it. However, he said that nothing should come in the way of Hindus performing pooja at the makeshift temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya.
While seeking stay of the impugned high court verdict, senior counsel P.P. Rao appearing for one of the contending parties asked the court to call for the records of the trial court, and digitalise of the high court verdict and other records and make these available on CD.
While admitting the appeals by all the parties, the court said that "status quo as a disputed site will remain as directed by the constitution bench of the apex court by its verdict of Jan 7, 1993, and that of March 13-14, 2002". The apex court had given the verdict in Mohd. Ismail Faruqui vs Union of India case.
The apex court was moved by the Sunni Waqf Board, Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind, Ramlalla Virajman and Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, and Nirmohi Akhada among others challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict.
While ordering a stay, the apex court bench said that "at least on the issue of staying the operation of the high court verdict and maintaining status quo, there is a unanimity among the contending parties."
The apex court had allowed worship at the makeshift temple at Ayodhya and restrained all the parties from carrying out any religious activities on the 67.703 acres of land that was acquired by the central government around the disputed site.
The makeshift temple where pooja is performed is located on 2.77 acres of disputed site where the Babri Masjid stood before it was demolished by Hindu radicals Dec 6, 1992.
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Sep 30, 2010, ruled that the Babri Masjid was built after demolishing a temple way back in 1528, and that the spot where a makeshift temple to Ram Lalla was built after razing the mosque in 1992 was indeed where Hindu god Ram was born.
The Sunni Waqf Board and Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind in their appeal had questioned the high court relying on the so-called belief and faith of the Hindu community that the birth place of Lord Rama was just below the middle dome of the now demolished Babri Masjid. The appeal said the high court accepted this though there was no evidence admissible under the law for recording the said findings.
Welcoming the ruling, Sunni Wakf Board lawyer Zafaryab Jilani said: "I would not like to comment upon the observations of the Supreme Court, we are conscious about many arguments, we have listened to so many observations. The earlier sanctioned decree is not nearly sound, it was not proper to pass."
He said the Wakf board would follow the case in the Supreme Court. "After vacations, when the court meets, there will definitely be certain procedure (to follow)."
S.Q.R. Ilyas, member of the executive council of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, told IANS: "That it (high court) was a strange judgment, is a very important remark made by the Supreme Court. The high court judgment, which was termed as a good judgment because it tried to satisfy all parties, was questionable."
Abdul Hameed Nomani, secretary of Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind, said: "The important question before the court is whether the country should be ruled on the basis of faith or facts."
Ravi Shankar Prasad, welcoming the ruling, said: "I agree with it. No one had asked for one-third, one-third partition."
Source: IANS
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Stay up to date on these results: After initial embarrassment that Osama Bin Laden was hiding in the Pakistani equivalent of a suburb of Sandhurst or West Point, almost in sight of an important intelligence service base, Pakistan's Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani has called for the criticism of his country to end. That won't wash in the US. Indeed, the speech hasn't been covered on the domestic TV networks. President Barack Obama says this is an important moment when Pakistan and the United States can decide to work more effectively together. Others would be more blunt. They see it as a moment to keep up the media and congressional criticism to force the Pakistani government to flush out al-Qaeda supporters within its own ranks after this humiliation. From the very start of his presidency, Mr Obama's administration has made it clear there is no such thing as an Afghan strategy. First it was an Af-Pak strategy. Then it became Pak-Af. Whatever you call it, there is an acknowledgement that Pakistan may be the more important country in the fight against al-Qaeda. Everyone in the know believes some members of the government and particularly the intelligence service are hand-in-glove with the jihadists and must have known what Bin Laden was up to. Equally, they understand those members of the Pakistani government who are hostile to the extremists and fundamentalists are looking over their shoulders at an electorate not keen on those it sees as America's puppets. Still, the US has given Pakistan $18bn in aid since 2002. One veteran member of the US Congress has said that before another dime is sent, Pakistan has to decide whose side it's on. Another has said there should be more strings attached. Aid probably won't be cut but it adds up to more political pressure on Pakistan to come up with the goods in future. While this debate will go on, the Mr Obama doesn't have to worry about some of the concerns expressed in the rest of the world about the legality or morality of killing Bin Laden. It has hardly been raised by anyone here in the US, and the president has said that anyone who questions taking the al-Qaeda leader out "needs their heads examined". http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13340207
SC stays HC verdict on Ayodhya case
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Black money: Legitimise it by paying 15% tax, park it in India
There's some delightful news for those with Swiss bank accounts. Indians , who opted for such numbered account service, have a way to mislead anyone trying to hunt them down. For them, a new window in the tax law has flung open just when some of the doors are about to shut. The law of the land has made it possible for them to bring back the money , legitimise it by paying 15% tax, and park it in any account with a bank in India. No questions will be asked. The taxman won't harass them because it's money on which tax has been paid.
Officials at the enforcement directorate can't slap a summon because it's authorised transfer of funds from an overseas firm to a company in India through official banking channels. There are certain expenses involved as lawyers and accountants have to be hired to make the money transfer look genuine. You can't really ask your Swiss banker to send the money straightaway to your savings account with the State Bank's Santacruz branch. The man may think you have finally lost it.
There are other foolproof ways of going about with such business. A new company has to be set up in one of the tax havens, money has to be moved out from the secret numbered account to the account of the newly-formed company with another bank and then pay the amount as dividend to an Indian company. Ask your chartered accountant; he knows all about it, and even if he doesn't , he will give you the telephone number of a professional who does. Such a professional will guide you through the maze of foreign exchange and tax rules to help you bring back the money that is rightfully or wrongfully yours.
Take one step at a time: Step 1: Set up a company in Dubai. It's easier than setting up one in India : Apply for a name with Dubai authorities and submit a simple memorandum . It will cost a few lakhs and will be done in a week. You will get an address, bank account and directors pooled in from an army of 'service providers' floating around in Dubai. (In a recent seminar, one of the Dubai state officials promised all assistance to Indian companies setting up arms in UAE). An Indian firm controlled by the Swiss bankaccount holder floats the Dubai subsidiary . This new subsidiary has a single purpose: to hold the money that will move out of Switzerland to Dubai, before it travels to India.
Step 2: Now, the money lying with the Alpine bank has to be transferred to a Dubai Bank, where the newly set-up company has an account . Let's call this firm Fei Qian - the Chinese term for flying money. Since it's unlikely that any company in Dubai will carry such a name, authorities in UAE will take little time in giving the permission. Hours after the Swiss bank receives instruction , money flows out of the numbered account to Fei Qian's account in Dubai.
Planning commission pushes for cuts in non-plan spends
NEW DELHI: The Planning Commission has recommended an aggressive cut in spending on subsidies, pensions and defence expenditure to mobilize resources for the 12th Five-Year Plan, which begins next year.
The panel says fiscal pressures will increase on the government in the coming years as it pursues its inclusive growth agenda, spending more on social sectors like health and education. In such a scenario, the 12th Plan will rely heavily on the government's ability to tame non-Plan expenditure, a generic term that covers all government expenditure not included in the Five-Year Plan.
The commission says the government should aim to reduce its non-Plan expenditure to 7.2% of GDP from the current 10.3%.
"There is consensus on the fact that things like subsidies, non-Plan grants and others will have to be controlled so that money is available for the Plan," a Planning Commission official said on condition of anonymity. "The finance ministry also agrees with the roadmap and recognizes the fact that non-Plan expenditure needs to come down."
Fixing an annual average GDP growth rate between 9% and 9.5%, the commission has estimated the centre's gross budgetary support to the Plan to rise by a mere 1.3 percentage points over the 12th Plan.
The nominal rise in gross budgetary support is in line with the government's fiscal consolidation roadmap, which aims to reduce fiscal deficit from the current 5.1% to 3% of GDP by 2013. The commission says the Centre would need to allocate 7.4% of GDP to fund the 12th Plan as against 6.4% it allocated for the ongoing Plan.
Preliminary estimates drawn out by the commission, in consultation with the finance ministry, project an average annual increase of 5% in subsidies, 12% in pension payouts and 10% in defence expenditure over the 12th Plan.
These estimates appear conservative given that the average annual growth in subsidies was around 24% in the 11th Plan, pension payouts rose by 23% and defence expenditure by 14% every year.
Officials at the enforcement directorate can't slap a summon because it's authorised transfer of funds from an overseas firm to a company in India through official banking channels. There are certain expenses involved as lawyers and accountants have to be hired to make the money transfer look genuine. You can't really ask your Swiss banker to send the money straightaway to your savings account with the State Bank's Santacruz branch. The man may think you have finally lost it.
There are other foolproof ways of going about with such business. A new company has to be set up in one of the tax havens, money has to be moved out from the secret numbered account to the account of the newly-formed company with another bank and then pay the amount as dividend to an Indian company. Ask your chartered accountant; he knows all about it, and even if he doesn't , he will give you the telephone number of a professional who does. Such a professional will guide you through the maze of foreign exchange and tax rules to help you bring back the money that is rightfully or wrongfully yours.
Take one step at a time: Step 1: Set up a company in Dubai. It's easier than setting up one in India : Apply for a name with Dubai authorities and submit a simple memorandum . It will cost a few lakhs and will be done in a week. You will get an address, bank account and directors pooled in from an army of 'service providers' floating around in Dubai. (In a recent seminar, one of the Dubai state officials promised all assistance to Indian companies setting up arms in UAE). An Indian firm controlled by the Swiss bankaccount holder floats the Dubai subsidiary . This new subsidiary has a single purpose: to hold the money that will move out of Switzerland to Dubai, before it travels to India.
Step 2: Now, the money lying with the Alpine bank has to be transferred to a Dubai Bank, where the newly set-up company has an account . Let's call this firm Fei Qian - the Chinese term for flying money. Since it's unlikely that any company in Dubai will carry such a name, authorities in UAE will take little time in giving the permission. Hours after the Swiss bank receives instruction , money flows out of the numbered account to Fei Qian's account in Dubai.
Planning commission pushes for cuts in non-plan spends
NEW DELHI: The Planning Commission has recommended an aggressive cut in spending on subsidies, pensions and defence expenditure to mobilize resources for the 12th Five-Year Plan, which begins next year.
The panel says fiscal pressures will increase on the government in the coming years as it pursues its inclusive growth agenda, spending more on social sectors like health and education. In such a scenario, the 12th Plan will rely heavily on the government's ability to tame non-Plan expenditure, a generic term that covers all government expenditure not included in the Five-Year Plan.
The commission says the government should aim to reduce its non-Plan expenditure to 7.2% of GDP from the current 10.3%.
"There is consensus on the fact that things like subsidies, non-Plan grants and others will have to be controlled so that money is available for the Plan," a Planning Commission official said on condition of anonymity. "The finance ministry also agrees with the roadmap and recognizes the fact that non-Plan expenditure needs to come down."
Fixing an annual average GDP growth rate between 9% and 9.5%, the commission has estimated the centre's gross budgetary support to the Plan to rise by a mere 1.3 percentage points over the 12th Plan.
The nominal rise in gross budgetary support is in line with the government's fiscal consolidation roadmap, which aims to reduce fiscal deficit from the current 5.1% to 3% of GDP by 2013. The commission says the Centre would need to allocate 7.4% of GDP to fund the 12th Plan as against 6.4% it allocated for the ongoing Plan.
Preliminary estimates drawn out by the commission, in consultation with the finance ministry, project an average annual increase of 5% in subsidies, 12% in pension payouts and 10% in defence expenditure over the 12th Plan.
These estimates appear conservative given that the average annual growth in subsidies was around 24% in the 11th Plan, pension payouts rose by 23% and defence expenditure by 14% every year.
Dog breed that sniffed out Osama to help India with Naxal menace
Dogs belonging to the same stock that helped the US Navy SEALs sniff out Osama bin Laden from his safe haven in Pakistan, will help Indian forces in "find and fix" anti-Naxal operations in dense forests and difficult terrains.
The dogs with SEALs are a specialised breed of Belgian shepherds, also called Malinois.The breed being trained for Indian security forces is a cross between an Israeli male and an American female Malinois.
"This is the first time that police and Central security forces will be using canines in operations in Naxal hotbeds -- a practice in line with Israeli and NATO forces in operating Afghanistan and other places. They find the target, which can be a human or a landmine, and alert their handlers, thereby fixing the unwanted element," a senior officer who is involved in the training of the dogs said.
The dogs will accompany police and CRPF patrols in Maoist-dominated areas, where previous patrols have been caught off guard and have suffered casualties because of landmines and ambushes.
In Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, security forces suffered more than 300 casualties last year in Maoist attacks owing to IED blasts or ambushes. "A police dog is an essential component of a strike squad.This part was missing in the Naxal theatre of operations. These dogs will be able to avert major casualties and ambushes by giving early signals," said a senior officer at the joint headquarters of anti-Naxal operations at Raipur.
The first batch of seven dogs, imported last year, have been trained by trainers of Indo-Tibetan Border Police in the rough terrain of the Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh border.
Malinois have "the best combination of sharp smell, endurance, speed, intelligence and adaptability to harsh Indian climate, and have a remarkable ability to sniff out IEDs and deep hidden landmines, thereby saving the lives of many troops," the officer said.
The dogs, in the later stage, could also be made to wear infrared night vision cameras on their bodies to undertake reconnaissance missions, he added.
General David Petraeus, Commander of the US forces in Afghanistan, has in the past hailed the capabilities of the dogs, describing them as highly reliable and irreplaceable.
"The capability they bring to the fight cannot be replicated by man or machine," Petraeus had said.
Source: PTI
Babri Mosque
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Babri Mosque | |
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Rear view of the Babri Mosque | |
Coordinates: 26.7956°N 82.1945°ECoordinates: 26.7956°N 82.1945°E | |
Location | Ayodhya, India |
Established | Constructed - 1527 Destroyed - 1992 |
Architectural information | |
Style | Tughlaq |
The Babri Mosque (Hindi: बाबरी मस्जिद, Urdu: بابری مسجد, translation: Mosque of Babur), was a mosque in Ayodhya, a city in the Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh, on Ramkot Hill ("Rama's fort"). It was destroyed in 1992 when a political rally developed into a riot involving 150,000 people,[1] despite a commitment to the Indian Supreme Court by the rally organisers that the mosque would not be harmed.[2][2][3] More than 2,000 people were killed in ensuing riots in many major cities in India and Pakistan including Mumbai and Delhi.[4]
The mosque was constructed in 1527 by order of Babur, the first Mughal emperor ofIndia.[5][6] Mir Baki, after seizing the Hindu structure from priests, named it Babri Masjid. Before the 1940s, the mosque was called Masjid-i-Janmasthan (Hindi: मस्जिद ए जन्मस्थान,Urdu: مسجدِ جنمستھان, translation: "mosque of the birthplace"), acknowledging the site as the birthplace of the Hindu deity, Lord Rama.[7]
The Babri Mosque was one of the largest mosques in Uttar Pradesh, a state in India with some 31 million Muslims.[8] Although there were several older mosques in the surrounding district, including the Hazrat Bal Mosque constructed by the Shariqi kings, the Babri Mosque became the largest, due to the importance of the disputed site. Despite its size and fame, the mosque was little used by the Muslim community of the district and numerous petitions by Hindus to the courts resulted in Hindu worshippers of Rama gaining access to the site.
The political, historical and socio-religious debate over the history and location of the Babri Mosque and whether a previous temple was demolished or modified to create it, is known as the Ayodhya Debate.
Contents[hide] |
[edit]Architecture of the mosque
The rulers of the Sultanate of Delhi and its successor, the Mugal Empire, were great patrons of art and architecture and constructed many fine tombs, mosques and madrasas. These have a distinctive style which bears influences of 'later Tughlaq' architecture. Mosques all over India were built in different styles; the most elegant styles developed in areas where indigenous art traditions were strong and local artisans were highly skilled. Thus regional or provincial styles of mosques grew out of local temple or domestic styles, which were conditioned in their turn by climate, terrain, materials, hence the enormous difference between the mosques of Bengal, Kashmir and Gujarat. The Babri Mosque followed the architectural school of Jaunpur.[citation needed]
Babri was an important mosque of a distinct style, preserved mainly in architecture, developed after the Delhi Sultanate was established (1192). The square CharMinar of Hyderabad (1591) with large arches, arcades, and minarets is typical. This art made extensive use of stone and reflected Indian adaptation to Muslim rule, until Mughals art replaced it in the 17th century, as typified by structures like the Taj Mahal.[citation needed]
The traditional hypostyle plan with an enclosed courtyard, imported from Western Asia was generally associated with the introduction of Islam in new areas, but was abandoned in favour of schemes more suited to local climate and needs. The Babri Masjid was a mixture of the local influence and the Western Asian style and examples of this type of mosque are common in India.[citation needed]
The Babri Mosque was a large imposing structure with three domes, one central and two secondary. It is surrounded by two high walls, running parallel to each other and enclosing a large central courtyard with a deep well, which was known for its cold and sweet water. On the high entrance of the domed structure are fixed two stone tablets which bear two inscriptions in Persian declaring that this structure was built by one Mir Baqi on the orders of Babur. The walls of the Babri Mosque are made of coarse-grained whitish sandstone blocks, rectangular in shape, while the domes are made of thin and small burnt bricks. Both these structural ingredients are plastered with thick chunam paste mixed with coarse sand.[citation needed]
The Central Courtyard was surrounded by lavishly curved columns superimposed to increase the height of the ceilings. The plan and the architecture followed the Begumpur Friday mosque of Jahanpanah rather than the Moghul style where Hindu masons used their own trabeated structural and decorative traditions. The excellence of their craftsmanship is noticeable in their vegetal scrolls and lotus patterns. These motifs are also present in the Firuyyz Shah Mosque in Firuzabad (c.1354) now in a ruined state, Qila Kuhna Mosque (c.1540), The Darasbari Mosque in the Southern suburb of the walled city of Gaur, and the Jamali Kamili Mosque built by Sher Shah Suri. This was the forerunner of the Indo Islamic style adopted by Akbar.[citation needed]
[edit]Babri Masjid acoustic and cooling system
"A whisper from the Babri Masjid Mihrab could be heard clearly at the other end, 200 feet [60 m] away and through the length and breadth of the central court" according to Graham Pickford, architect to Lord William Bentinck (1828–1833). The mosque's acoustics were mentioned by him in his book 'Historic Structures of Oudhe' where he says "for a 16th century building the deployment and projection of voice from the pulpit is considerably advanced, the unique deployment of sound in this structure will astonish the visitor".[citation needed]
Modern architects have attributed this intriguing acoustic feature to a large recess in the wall of the Mihrab and several recesses in the surrounding walls which functioned as resonators; this design helped everyone to hear the speaker at the Mihrab. The sandstone used in building the Babri Mosque also had resonant qualities which contributed to the unique acoustics.[citation needed]
The Babri mosque's Tughluquid style integrated other indigenous design components and techniques, such as air cooling systems disguised as Islamic architectural elements like arches, vaults and domes. In the Babri Masjid a passive environmental control system comprised the high ceiling, domes, and six large grille windows. The system helped keep the interior cool by allowing natural ventilation as well as daylight.[citation needed]
[edit]Legend of the Babri Mosque's miraculous well
The reported medicinal properties of the deep well in the central courtyard have been featured in various news reports such as the BBC report of December 1989 and in various newspapers. The earliest mention of the Babri water well was in a two line reference to the Mosque in the Gazette of Faizabad District 1918 which says "There are no significant historical buildings here, except for various Buddhist shrines. The Babri Mosque is an ancient structure with a well which, both the Hindus and Mussalmans claim, has miraculous properties."[citation needed]
Ayodhya is a pilgrimage site for Hindus and the annual Ram festival is regularly attended by over 500,000 people of both the Hindu and Muslim faiths, and many devotees came to drink water from the well in the Babri Mosque's courtyard. It was believed drinking water from this well could cure a range of illnesses. Hindu pilgrims also believed that the Babri water well was the original well in the Ram Temple under the mosque. Ayodhya Muslims believed that the well was a gift from God. Local women regularly brought their new borns to drink from the reputedly curative water.[citation needed]
The 125-foot (40 m) deep well was situated in the south-eastern section of the large rectangular courtyard of the Babri Mosque. There was a small Hindu shrine built in 1890 joining the well with a statue of Lord Rama. It was an artesian well and drew water from a considerable distance below the water table. Eleven feet (3 m) in radius, the first 30 feet (10 m) from ground level were bricked. It drew water from a reservoir trapped in a bed of shale sand and gravel, which would explain the unusually cool temperature of the water. The water contained almost no sodium, giving it a reputation of tasting 'sweet.' Accessing the well involved climbing onto a three foot (1 m) platform, where the well was covered with planks of thick wood with an unhinged trapdoor. Water was drawn by means of a bucket and long lengths of rope and due to its claimed 'spiritual properties' was used only for drinking. Hindus and Muslims in Ayodhya had a profound belief in the miraculous properties of this cold and pure underground water, which was reinforced by abundant local folklore.[citation needed]
[edit]History
[edit]Hindu account
When the Muslim emperor Babur conquered the Rajputana kingdom of Mewar and the Hindu King of Chittodgad, Rana Sangrama Singh at the Battle of Khanwa he established his authority over the whole of northern India. After this victory, his general, Mir Baqshi became governor of the region around Awadh.
Mir Baqshi built the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya naming it after Emperor Babur, after reportedly destroying a pre-existing temple of Rama[9] at the site.[10] Although there is no reference to the new mosque in Babur's diary, the Baburnama, the pages of the relevant period are missing in the diary. The contemporary Tarikh-i-Babari records that Babur's troops "demolished many Hindu temples at Chanderi"[11]
Palaeographic evidence of an older Hindu temple on the site emerged from an inscription on a thick stone slab recovered from the debris of the demolished structure in 1992. Over 260 other artifacts were recovered on the day of demolition, and many point to being part of the ancient temple. The inscription on the slab has 20 lines, 30 shlokas (verses), and is composed in Sanskrit written in the Nagari script. The 'Nagari Lipi' script was prevalent in the eleventh and twelfth century. The crucial part of the message as deciphered by a team comprising epigraphists, Sanskrit scholars, historians and archaeologists including Prof. A.M. Shastri, Dr. K.V. Ramesh, Dr. T.P. Verma, Prof. B.R. Grover, Dr. A.K. Sinha, Dr. Sudha Malaiya, Dr. D.P. Dubey and Dr. G.C. Tripathi.
The first twenty verses are the praises of the king Govind Chandra Gharhwal (AD 1114 to 1154) and his dynasty. The twenty-first verse says the following; "For the salvation of his soul the King, after paying his obeisance at the little feet of Vamana Avatar (the incarnation of Vishnuas a midget Brahmana), went about constructing a wondrous temple for Vishnu Hari (Shri Rama) with marvelous pillars and structure of stone reaching the skies and culminating in a superb top with a massive sphere of gold and projecting shafts in the sky - a temple so grand that no other King in the History of the nation had ever built before."
It further states that this temple was built in the temple-city of Ayodhya.
In another reference, the Faizabad District Judge on a plaint filed by Mahant Raghubar Das gave a judgment on 18 March 1886. Though the plaint was dismissed, the judgment brought out two relevant points:
"I found that Masjid built by Emperor Babur stands on the border of the town of Ayodhya. It is most unfortunate that Masjid should have been built on land specially held sacred by the Hindus, but as that event occurred 358 years ago, it is too late now to remedy the grievance. All that can be done is to maintain the parties in status quo. In such a case as the present one any innovation would cause more harm and derangement of order than benefit."
Remnants of demolished Hindu temples were used to build the Babri Masjid, Justice Dharam Veer Sharma of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has held and cited evidence provided by the Archeological Survey of India[12].
"On the basis of circumstantial evidence, historical accounts, gazetteers 361 and other epigraphical documents, it is established that after demolishing the temple, the disputed structure was constructed as a mosque and even pillars of the old temple were re-used, which contained the images of Hindu gods and goddesses against the tenets of Islam"
.
According to the judge, the 265 inscriptions found on December 6, 1992 after demolition of the disputed structure, along with other architectural remains, leave no room for doubt that the inscription is written in the script of Devnagri of 11th and 12th century[12].
"On the basis of the opinion of the experts, evidence on record, circumstantial evidence and historical account from all or any angle, it transpires that the temple was demolished and the mosque was constructed at the site of the old Hindu temple by Mir Baqi at the command of Babar."
All three judges accepted that under the mosque is a Hindu temple. Two of the judges accepted that that temple was specifically demolished[13].
[edit]Jain account
According to Jain Samata Vahini, a social organization of the Jains, "the only structure that could be found during excavation would be a sixth century Jain temple".
Sohan Mehta, the General Secretary of Jain Samata Vahini, claims that the demolished disputed structure was actually built on the remnants of an ancient Jain temple, and that the excavation by ASI, ordered by Allahabad High Court to settle the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi dispute, would prove it.
Mehta quoted writings of 18th century Jain monks stating Ayodhya was the place where five Jain tirthankars, Rishabhdeo, Ajitnath,Abhinandannath, Sumatinath and Anantnath stayed. The ancient city was among the five biggest centers of Jainism and Buddhism prior to 1527.[14]
[edit]Muslim account
There is no historical record pointing to the destruction of even the existence of the Hindu Temple at the site when Mir Baqi erected the Masjid in 1528. When Ram idols were placed in the Mosque illegally on December 23, 1949, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru wrote to the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, G. B. Pant, demanding their removal because "a dangerous example is being set there." The local administrator, Faizabad's deputy commissioner K. K. Nayar dismissed Nehru's concerns. While he admitted that the installation of the idols was "an illegal act", Nayar refused to remove them from the mosque claiming that "the depth of feeling behind the movement ... should not be underestimated." In the 2010 the High Court verdict that gives two-thirds of the land to Hindu Temple, thousands of pages of the verdict were devoted to quotes from Hindu scriptures, but little reference was made to the illegality of the 1949 act. According to Manoj Mitta, "The mischief played with the idols, in a bid to convert a masjid into a mandir, was central to the adjudication of the title suits." [15]
Muslims and other critics claim that the archeological reports, that are relied upon by Hindu extremist groups like Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Hindu Munnani to lay claim to the Babri Masjid site are politically motivated, and that certain evidence from the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) rule out a possible Hindu temple rather than provide evidence for one existing before the mosque was erected.[16]
[edit]British account
"After Babar had gained a footing in Hindustan by his victory at Panipat in 1526 and had advanced to Agra, the defeated Afghan house of Lodhi still occupied the Central Doab, Oudh, and the eastern districts of the present United Provinces. In 1527, Babar, on his return from Central India, defeated his opponents in Southern Oudh near Kanauj, and passed on through the Province as far as Ajodhya where he built a mosque in 1528, on the site renowned as the birthplace of Rama. The Afghans remained in opposition after the death of Babar in 1530, but were defeated near Lucknow in the following year." Imperial Gazetteer of India 1908 Vol XIX pp 279–280
[edit]Conflicts over the site
The first recorded incident of violence over the issue between Hindus and Muslims in modern times took place in 1853 during the reign of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh. A Hindu sect called the Nirmohis claimed the structure, contending that the mosque stood on the spot where a temple had been destroyed during Babar's time. Violence erupted from time to time over the issue in the next two years and the civil administration had to step in, refusing permission to build a temple or to use it as a place of worship.
According to the District Gazetteer Faizabad 1905, "up to this time (1855), both the Hindus and Muslims used to worship in the same building. But since the Mutiny (1857), an outer enclosure has been put up in front of the Masjid and the Hindus forbidden access to the inner yard, make the offerings on a platform (chabootra), which they have raised in the outer one."
Efforts in 1883 to construct a temple on this chabootra were halted by the Deputy Commissioner who prohibited it on January 19, 1885. Raghubir Das, a mahant, filed a suit before the Faizabad Sub-Judge. Pandit Harikishan was seeking permission to construct a temple on this chabootra measuring 17 ft. x 21 ft., but the suit was dismissed. An appeal was filed before the Faizabad District Judge, Colonel J.E.A. Chambiar who, after an inspection of spot on March 17, 1886, dismissed the appeal. A Second Appeal was filed on May 25, 1886, before the Judicial Commissioner of Awadh, W. Young, who also dismissed the appeal. With this, the first round of legal battles fought by the Hindus came to an end.
During the "communal riots" of 1934, walls around the Masjid and one of the domes of the Masjid were damaged. These were reconstructed by the British Government.
The mosque and its appurtenant land, a graveyard known as Ganj-e-Shaheedan Qabristan, were registered as Waqf No. 26 Faizabad with the UP Sunni Central Board of Waqfs (Muslim holy places) under the Act of 1936. The background of harassment of Muslims during the period has been recorded in two reports by the waqf inspector Mohammad Ibrahim, dated December 10 and 23, 1949, respectively to the secretary of the Waqf Board.
The first report states "any Muslim going towards the Masjid is accosted and called names, etc…. People there told me that there is a danger to the Masjid from the Hindus… When the namazis (worshippers) leave, from the surrounding houses shoes and stones are hurled towards them. Muslims, out of fear, do not utter a word. Lohia also visited Ayodhya after Raghodas and gave a lecture…. Don't harm the graves… The Bairagis said Masjid is Janmabhoomi and so give it to us… I spent the night in Ayodhya and the Bairagis are forcibly taking possession of the Masjid….."
At midnight on December 22, 1949, when the police guards were asleep, statues of Rama and Sita were quietly brought into the mosque and erected. This was reported by the constable, Mata Prasad, the next morning and recorded at the Ayodhya police station. The FIR lodged by Sub-Inspector Ram Dube, Police Station Ayodhya, on December 23, 1949 states: "A group of 50-60 persons had entered Babri Mosque after breaking the compound gate lock of the mosque or through jumping across the walls... and established therein an idol of Shri Bhagwan and painted Sita Ram, on the outer and inner walls with geru (red loam)... Afterward, a crowd of 5-6 thousand persons gathered around and while chanting bhajans and raising religious slogans tried to enter the mosque but were deferred." The following morning, a large Hindu crowd attempted to enter the mosque to make offerings to the deities. The District Magistrate K.K. Nair has recorded that "The crowd made a most determined attempt to force entry. The lock was broken and policemen were rushed off their feet. All of us, officers and men, somehow pushed the crowd back and held the gate. The sadhus recklessly hurled themselves against men and arms and it was with great difficulty that we managed to hold the gate. The gate was secured and locked with a powerful lock brought from outside and police force was strengthened (5:00 pm)."
On hearing this news Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru directed UP Chief Minister Govind Ballabh Pant, to see that the deities were removed. Under Pant's orders, Chief Secretary Bhagwan Sahay and Inspector-General of Police V.N. Lahiri sent immediate instructions to Faizabad to remove the deities. However, K.K. Nair feared that the Hindus would retaliate and pleaded inability to carry out the orders.
In 1984, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad(VHP) launched a massive movement for the opening of the locks of the mosque, and in 1985 the Rajiv Gandhi government ordered the locks on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid in Ayodhya to be removed. Prior to that date the only Hindu ceremonmy permitted was a Hindu priest performing a yearly puja for the icons there. After the ruling, all Hindus were given access to what they consider the birthplace of Rama, and the mosque gained some function as a Hindu temple.[17]
Communal tension in the region worsened when the VHP received permission to perform a shilanyas (stone-laying ceremony) at the disputed site before the national election in November 1989. A senior BJP leader, LK Advani, started a Rath yatra, embarking on a 10,000 km journey starting from the south and heading towards Ayodhya.
[edit]Archaeological Survey of India report
Archaeological excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 1970, 1992 and 2003 in and around the disputed site have indicated a large Hindu complex existed on the site.
In 2003, by the order of an Indian Court, The Archaeological Survey of India was asked to conduct a more indepth study and an excavation to ascertain the type of structure that was beneath the rubble.[18] The summary of the ASI report [19] indicated definite proof of a temple under the mosque. In the words of ASI researchers, they discovered "distinctive features associated with... temples of north India". The excavations yielded:
" | stone and decorated bricks as well as mutilated sculpture of a divine couple and carved architectural features, including foliage patterns, amalaka, kapotapali, doorjamb with semi-circular shrine pilaster, broke octagonal shaft of black schist pillar, lotus motif, circular shrine having pranjala (watershute) in the north and 50 pillar bases in association with a huge structure" [20] | " |
The excavation began on March 12, 2003 on the acquired land on the high court's order and by August 7, 2003 when it ended, the ASI team had made 1360 discoveries. A bench, comprising Justice S R Alam, Justice Bhanwar Singh and Justice Khemkaran, had asked the ASI to submit the report and as per the order, the Archaeological Survey of India submitted its final report in the Allahabad high court[21]. The 574-page ASI report consisting of written opinions, maps and drawings was opened before the full Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court. The report said there was archaeological evidence of "a massive structure just below the disputed structure and evidence of continuity in structural activities from the 10th century onwards". The ASI report said there is sufficient proof of existence of a massive and monumental structure having a minimum dimension of 50x30 metres in north-south and east-west directions respectively just below the disputed structure. In course of present excavations nearly 50 pillar bases with brickbat foundation below calcrete blocks topped by sandstone blocks were found. The area below the disputed site remained a place for public use for a long time till the Mughal period when the disputed structure was built which was confined to a limited area and the population settled around it as evidenced by the increase in contemporary archaeological material including pottery. The report said the human activity at the site dates back to 13th century BC on the basis of the scientific dating method providing the only archaeological evidence of such an early date of the occupation of the site.
A round signet with legend in Asokan Brahmi is another important find of this level, according to the report. The report said the Sunga period (second-first century BC) comes next in order of the cultural occupation at the site followed by the Kushan period. During the early medieval period (11-12th century AD) a huge structure of nearly 50 metres north-south orientation was constructed which seems to have been short lived as only four of the 50 pillar bases exposed during the excavation belonged to this level with a brick crush floor. On the remains of the above structure was constructed a massive structure with at least three structural phases and three successive floors attached with it. The architectural members of the earlier short-lived massive structure with stencil-cut foliage pattern and other decorative motifs were reused in the construction of the monumental structure which has a huge pillared hall different from residential structures providing sufficient evidence of construction of public usages which remained under existence for a long time during the period. The report concluded that it was over the top of this construction during the early 16th century that the disputed structure was constructed directly resting over it.[22]
[edit]Criticism
Muslim groups immediately disputed the rulings. The Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (Sahmat) criticized the report saying that it said that "presence of animal bones throughout as well as of the use of 'surkhi' and lime mortar" that was found by ASI are all characteristic of Muslim presence "that rule out the possibility of a Hindu temple having been there beneath the mosque," but the report claimed otherwise on the basis of 'pillar bases' was "manifestly fraudulent" in its assertions since no pillars were found, and the alleged existence of 'pillar bases' has been debated by archaeologists.[16] Syed Rabe Hasan Nadvi, chairman of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) alleged that ASI failed to mention any evidence of a temple in its interim reports and only revealed it in the final report which was submitted during a time of national tension, making the report highly suspect.[23]
However, one of the judges that divided the area, Judge Agarwal, noted that many of the "independent historians" displayed an "ostrich-like attitude" toward the facts and in fact lacked any expertise on the subject while they were "withering under scrutiny". Apart from this, most "experts" were found to be interconnected: either they had built up their expertise reading news articles or they had professional associations with other "expert witnesses" for the Waqf Board and deposed to support statements of other witnesses(PW-16, 20 and 24)[24]. The court also found that the entire opinion of another witness, Prof. D Mandal, was short of the requirement as an opinion of an Expert and had he he wrote a book only on the basis of a critical analysis of a small booklet published by Prof. B.B.Lal and beyond that made no further or other study/research etc.[24]. Another expert (3618 [24]) gave statement on oath without any probe and not on the basis of knowledge, rather it was on the basis of opinion. The Allahabad High Court upheld the ASI's findings.[25]
Examining the ASI's conclusion of a mandir (Hindu temple) under the structure, the VHP and the RSS stepped up demands for Muslims to restore the three holiest North Indian mandirs to Hindus.[20]
[edit]Demolition
On that Sunday morning, LK Advani and others met at Vinay Katiyar's residence. They then proceeded to the disputed structure, the report says. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Katiyar reached the puja platform where symbolic Kar Seva was to be performed, and Advani and Joshi checked arrangements for the next 20 minutes. The two senior leaders then moved 200 metre away to the Ram Katha Kunj. This was a building facing the disputed structure where a dais had been erected for senior leaders.
At noon, a teenage Kar Sevak was "vaulted" on to the dome and that signaled the breaking of the outer cordon. The report notes that at this time Advani, Joshi and Vijay Raje Scindia made "feeble requests to the Kar Sevaks to come down... either in earnest or for the media's benefit". No appeal was made to the Kar Sevaks not to enter the sanctum sanctorum or not to demolish the structure. The report notes: "This selected act of the leaders itself speaks of the hidden intentions of one and all being to accomplish demolition of the disputed structure."
The report holds that the "icons of the movement present at the Ram Katha Kunj... could just as easily have... prevented the demolition." [26]
[edit]Demolition planned in advance
In a 2005 book former Intelligence Bureau (IB) Joint Director Maloy Krishna Dhar claimed that Babri Masjid demolition was planned 10 months in advance by top leaders of RSS, BJP and VHP and raised questions over the way the then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, had handled the issue. Dhar claimed that he was directed to arrange the coverage of a key meeting of the BJP/Sangh Parivar and that the meeting "proved beyond doubt that they (RSS, BJP, VHP) had drawn up the blueprint of the Hindutva assault in the coming months and choreographed the 'pralaya nritya' (dance of destruction) at Ayodhya in December 1992... The RSS, BJP, VHP and the Bajrang Dal leaders present in the meeting amply agreed to work in a well-orchestrated manner." Claiming that the tapes of the meeting were personally handed over by him to his boss, he asserts that he has no doubts that his boss had shared the contents with the Prime Minister (Rao) and the Home Minister (S B Chavan). The author claimed that there was silent agreement that Ayodhya offered "a unique opportunity to take the Hindutva wave to the peak for deriving political benefit."[3]
[edit]Liberhan Commission findings
A 2009 report, authored by Justice Manmohan Singh Liberhan, blamed 68 people for the demolition of the mosque - mostly leaders from the BJP and a few bureaucrats. Among those named in the report were AB Vajpayee, the former BJP prime minister, and LK Advani, the party's then (2009) leader in parliament. Kalyan Singh, who was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh during the mosque's demolition, has also come in for harsh criticism in the report. He is accused of posting bureaucrats and police officers who would stay silent during the mosque's demolition in Ayodhya.[27] Former Education Minister in NDA Government Mr. Murli Manohar Joshi have also been found culpable in the demolition in the Liberhan Commissions' Report. Anju Gupta, an Indian police officer appeared as a prosecution witness. She was in charge of Advani's security on the day of the demolition and she revealed that Advani and Murali Manohar Joshi made inflammatory speeches.[28]
[edit]Aftermath
The country was rocked by communal riots immediately following demolition of the mosque[29], between Hindus and Muslims in which more than 2,000 people died[30]. Many terror attacks by banned jehadi outfits like IM cited demolition of Babri Mosque as an excuse for terrorist attacks[31][32]. In Pakistan and Bangladesh, many Hindu women were raped, hundreds of Hindu homes and temples were destroyed[33][29][34].
[edit]In popular culture
In fiction, Lajja, a controversial 1993 novel in Bengali by Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin, has a story based in the days after the demolition. After its release, the author received death threats in her home country and has been living in exile ever since.
The events that transpired in aftermath of the demolition and the riots are an important part of the plot of the films Bombay (1995),Daivanamathil (2005), both the films won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration at the respective National Film Awards; Naseem (1995), Striker (2010), and also mentioned in Slumdog Millionaire (2008). The file pictures from the television footage of the demolition of the mosque are shown as a flashback and as a cause of the subsequent communal riots and the Bombay blasts of 1993 in the film Black Friday (2004 film)
[edit]See also
- Hindu extremism
- Hindutva
- Ram Janmabhoomi
- Conversion of non-Muslim places of worship into mosques
- Indian secularism
- In fiction: Bombay
[edit]References
[edit]Footnotes
- ^ Babri mosque demolition case hearing today. Yahoo News - September 18, 2007
- ^ a b Tearing down the Babri Masjid - Eye Witness BBC's Mark Tully BBC - Thursday, 5 December 2002, 19:05 GMT
- ^ a b Babri Masjid demolition was planned 10 months in advance - PTI
- ^ The Ayodhya dispute. BBC News. November 15, 2004.
- ^ Flint, Colin (2005). The geography of war and peace. Oxford University Press.ISBN 9780195162080.
- ^ Vitelli, Karen (2006). Archaeological ethics(2 ed.). Rowman Altamira.ISBN 9780759109636.
- ^ Sayyid Shahabuddin Abdur Rahman, Babri Masjid, 3rd print, Azamgarh: Darul Musannifin Shibli Academy, 1987, pp. 29-30.
- ^ Indian Census
- ^http://elegalix.allahabadhighcourt.in/elegalix/ayodhyafiles/hondvsj-gist-vol2.pdf
- ^ "Babri Mosjid -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia". Encyclopædia. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
- ^ Sharma, Religious policy of the Mughal Emperors, page 9
- ^ a b http://news.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/oct/01/slide-show-1-what-justice-khan-said-about-ayodhya-judgment.htm
- ^ http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/article816607.ece
- ^http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=19686
- ^ Ayodhya verdict Times of India, October 3, 2010
- ^ a b Ayodhya verdict yet another blow to secularism: Sahmat The Hindu, October 3, 2010
- ^ http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?224878
- ^ Ratnagar, Shereen (2004) "CA Forum on Anthropology in Public: Archaeology at the Heart of a Political Confrontation: The Case of Ayodhya" Current Anthropology 45(2): pp. 239-259, p. 239
- ^ Prasannan, R. (7 September 2003) "Ayodhya: Layers of truth" The Week (India), from Web Archive
- ^ a b Suryamurthy, R. (August 2003) "ASI findings may not resolve title dispute" The Tribune - August 26, 2003
- ^http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/aug/22ayo.htm
- ^http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/aug/25ayo1.htm
- ^ Muralidharan, Sukumar (September 2003)."Ayodhya: Not the last word yet".
- ^ a b chttp://www.rjbm.nic.in/sa/Judgment%20RJB-BM%20Vol-15.pdf
- ^ Abhinav Garg (October 9, 2010). "How Allahabad HC exposed 'experts' espousing Masjid cause". The Times Of India. Retrieved November 1, 2010.
- ^http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/report_sequence_of_events_on_december_6.php
- ^ Uproar over India mosque report: Inquiry into Babri mosque's demolition in 1992 indicts opposition BJP leaders Al-Jazeera English - November 24, 2009
- ^ In the dock, again, Frontline
- ^ a bhttp://archive.guardian.co.uk/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=R1VBLzE5OTIvMTIvMDgjQXIwMDEwMA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11436552
- ^ http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?268602
- ^ http://www.indianexpress.com/news/blast-a-revenge-for-babri-mail/361167/1
- ^http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country,,MARP,,BGD,,469f3869c,0.html
- ^http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country,,MRGI,,BGD,,49749d572d,0.html
[edit]Bibliography
- Ratnagar, Shereen (2004). "Archaeology at the Heart of a Political Confrontation: The Case of Ayodhya". Current Anthropology 45(2): pp. 239-259.
[edit]Further reading
- Ram Sharan Sharma. Communal History and Rama's Ayodhya, People's Publishing House (PPH), 2nd Revised Edition, September, 1999,Delhi. Translated into Bengali, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. Two versions in Bengali.
- Puniyani, Ram. Communal Politics: Myths Versus Facts. Sage Publications Inc, 2003
- Bacchetta, Paola. "Sacred Space in Conflict in India: The Babri Masjid Affair." Growth & Change. Spring2000, Vol. 31, Issue 2.
- Baburnama: Memoirs of Babur, Prince and Emperor. 1996. Edited, translated and annotated by Wheeler M. Thacktson. New York and London: Oxford University Press.
- Ayodhya and the Future of India. 1993. Edited by Jitendra Bajaj. Madras: Centre for Policy Studies. ISBN 81-86041-02-8 hb ISBN 81-86041-03-6 pb
- Elst, Koenraad. 1991. Ayodhya and After: Issues Before Hindu Society. 1991. New Delhi: Voice of India. [1]
- Emmanuel, Dominic. 'The Mumbai bomb blasts and the Ayodhya tangle', National Catholic Reporter (Kansas City, August 27, 2003).
- Sita Ram Goel: Hindu Temples - What Happened to Them, Voice of India, Delhi 1991. [2] [3]
- Harsh Narain. 1993. The Ayodhya Temple Mosque Dispute: Focus on Muslim Sources. Delhi: Penman Publishers.
- Hassner, Ron E., War on Sacred Grounds. 2009. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. [4]
- Romey, Kristin M., "Flashpoint Ayodhya." Archaeology Jul/Aug2004, Vol. 57, Issue 4.
- Romila Thapar. 'A Historical Perspective on the Story of Rama' in Thapar (2000).
- Ayodhya ka Itihas evam Puratattva — Rigveda kal se ab tak ('History and Archaeology of Ayodhya — From the Time of the Rigveda to the Present') by Thakur Prasad Varma and Swarajya Prakash Gupta. Bharatiya Itihasa evam Samskrit Parishad and DK Printworld. New Delhi.
- Ayodhya 6 December 1992 (ISBN 0-670-05858-0) by P. V. Narasimha Rao
[edit]External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Babri Masjid |
- Report of Liberhan Enquiry Commission on Demolition of Babri Masjid
- Advani charged with Ayodhya riots - BBC News
- Mumbai riots of 1992-93: Letting sleeping dogs lie
- Holy work destroys peace in India - Time Magazine
- The wrath of Rama - Time Magazine
- 'Timeline: Ayodhya crisis', BBC News (October 17, 2003)
- 'Q&A: The Ayodhya dispute', BBC News (November 15, 2004)
- The Demolition Video from Youtube
- Hindus and Muslims to Share Holy Site - slideshow by The New York Times
- Research Papers
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