This movie by Anand Patwardhan (Ram Ke Naam) is a great documentary on the issue of the Babri Masjid demolition.
We didn’t know the exact facts about the issue of Babri Masjid- the information which we know came from our elders who also don’t know exactly what happened at that time. The information spread by media are mostly in favour of politicians so the elders also don’t know exactly what happened there.
This movie mostly focuses on how politicians use religion and caste for their own purpose. In the movie BJP leaders use this strategy for increasing the strength of the party. In 1949 a pujari dreamt of Lord Ram appearing in the Masjid. After that then District Magistrate K. K. Nayar installed an idol of Rama inside the Masjid. This led to start the issue of communal situation and the BJP leaders and leaders of VHP took advantage of this for their party’s development.The effect of the communal situation was mostly on the common people who were supporting the Raath Yatra which was started by L.K. Advani.
The people’s who were with Rath Yatra and supporters they didn’t even know the basic facts about where Rama was born and when! The people who were living near the villages of Ayodhya during the Rath Yatra were asked questions by Anand sir. They were slum dwellers, small traders, farmers- they told him that they didn’t care about issue, they just wanted Hindu-Muslim unity and nothing else.
What happened there in Ayodhya, the same thing is happening right now. Modiji made a decision that from midnight of 8th November there would be a withdrawal of 500 and 1000 Rupee notes. It was great strategy used by BJP government for influencing the people that the government was working against corruption and that it will help the common man for their welfare. The innocent common man also helps them and stands with government to support against corruption.
There was lot of shortage of 100 Rupee notes which directly influenced the common man in many villages. There was also problem for small traders, small problems like travelling by local trains in Mumbai, etc. Main point is that these all are problems faced by the common man, the politicians and upper class people didn’t get affected by demonetisation. Now the deadline of demonetisation has comes to end on 30 December. People faced so many problems about depositing old notes and exchanging new notes with a limit up to 21 thousand per week, but politicians having high networks with private banks they get new notes in crores. There is a huge difference that comes in focus.
From all these things one thing is clear is that politicians use religion, caste, even everyday life of common man for the purpose of increasing their politics. They don’t care whatever problems the common man faces. Many people died during Babri Masjid issue- they were mostly common people living in slums. And similarly in the issue of demonetisation, many people who died were standing in lines to deposit their notes. But the government doesn’t care about them and still continues with that. This is how politicians use this strategy for their advantage in politics and for money. They use some common factors like religion but common people still support them without thinking. These things need to change.
Contributed By Vishal Pardhi (Raahi)