All 32 accused in Ayodhya’s Babri Masjid demolition on December 6 1992, were acquitted on September 30 as a special CBI court in Uttar Pradesh ruled the demolition was not planned and involved “anti-social elements”.
“Anti-social elements brought down the structure. The accused leaders tried to stop these people,” said the special judge, whose term had been extended for this verdict. The judge also said the audio and video evidence produced by the CBI did not establish conspiracy charges.
BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti were all acquitted of conspiracy charges in a landmark verdict that has evoked strong reactions across the country.
A trending hashtag “No one demolished Babri” is doing the rounds in social media. The hashtag is a reminiscent of a Hindi film “No one killed Jessica”.
Several politicians, actors tweeted about the verdict that came after 28 years.
AIMIM cheif Asaduddin Owaisi said the CBI special court’s verdict in the Babri Masjid demolition case marks a sad and black day in the history of Indian judiciary. Meanwhile Muslim Personal Law Board is likely to challenge the verdict in High Court.
Expressing the outrage Mr.Owaisi called it obnoxious. “This judgment satisfies the collective consciousness of hindutva and its followers and ideology.” He wondered how the court could state that there was no conspiracy in the matter. “Was it some sort of magic that on December 6 the masjid was demolished? Who called for the assembling of the people over there? Who made sure that they entered over there?” he said.
Meanwhile Muslim Personal Law Board is likely to challenge the verdict in High Court.
Congress leader Ahmed Patel called the verdict “shocking” and tweeted:
The Babri verdict is shocking, it goes contrary to principles of natural justice & even the SC’s observation
— Ahmed Patel Memorial (@ahmedpatel) September 30, 2020
Calling it a “complete travesty of justice”, Left leader Sitaram Yechury recalled how a Constitution bench headed by the then Chief Justice had called the demolition “an egregious violation of law”.
“A complete travesty of Justice. All charged with criminal conspiracy to demolish Babri Masjid acquitted. It self imploded? The Constitution Bench headed by then CJI had said that demolition was an “egregious” violation of law. Now this verdict! Shame,” Mr Yechury tweeted.
Activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan responded tweeting , “There was no mosque there . Justice in New India!”
There was no mosque there. Justice in new India! https://t.co/JdqfgWqzLm
— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) September 30, 2020
Actor Swara Bhasker tweeted in Hindi saying, “The Babri Masjid fell on its own.”
Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani shared a photo of two magazines, then and last year, about the Babri Masjid and tweeted: “1992 and 2019… And in 2020: today, actually no one demolished #BabriMasjid. Like Kapil Mishra is in reality a great messenger of peace, Babri demolition and Rath Yatra was in reality just a fake news. All media stories before 2014 was fake news, only post-BJP media is truth (sic).”
1992 and 2019…
And in 2020: today, actually no one demolished #BabriMasjid.
Like Kapil Mishra is in reality a great messenger of peace, Babri demolition and Rath Yatra was in reality just a fake news. All media stories before 2014 was fake news, only post-BJP media is truth. pic.twitter.com/HbMnbjYnBm— Jignesh Mevani (@jigneshmevani80) September 30, 2020
Actor Richa Chaddha tweeted in Hindi: “There is a court above this place, where there is light and not darkness.”
