NEW DELHI (PTI): Indian parliamentary affairs minister Ghulam Nabi Azad July 21 said non-compliance of court orders by the Uttar Pradesh government restraining construction at the disputed shrine in Ayodhya was fully responsible for communal disturbances in the states of Kerala Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Responding to the concern expressed in the lower house of parliament by members over the disturbances Azad said the government condemned both Hindus as well as Muslims of fundamentalism.

The govt he assured the agitated members would make statements on the disturbances that occurred in different parts of the country and Ayodhya.

Azad made it clear that in the present circumstances the Ayodhya issue alone was to blame for the disturbances in different parts of the country and expressed apprehensions about the danger of more violence amidst heated exchanges between BJP and the ruling party members.

The BJP he charged was dividing the nation by violating the court order. The house heard members mainly from the two parties who expressed concern over the disturbances and urged the home minister to make a statement The National Front and the Left party members continued their boycott of the house for the second day over the Ayodhya issue.

Azad was frequently interrupted by BJP members who accused him of trying to justify the violence in different parts of the country

Azad wanted to know who was responsible for the birth of Islamic Swayamsevak Singh (ISS) and said it was the “first cousin of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).”

There was no question of emergency of ISS if there had been no RSS he said adding the center had been asking the state govt to implement the court order for the last 10 days but it was ignored. It alone (UP Govt.) would be again responsible for more riots in the county he added.

Leader of the opposition L.K.Advani alleged that ISS was the creation of the inter-services intelligence of Pakistan which he said was behind the riots.

Advani said U.P. chief minister Kalyan Singh had taken all measures to protect the Ramjanam bhoomi-Babri Masjid and yet some parties were trying to inflame communal passions.

We may have differences over the Ayodhya issue but I disagree and disapprove of the justification of the disturbances in Kerala Maharashtra and Gujarat” he said.

Madan Lal Khurana (BJP) referred to the Kerala riots and said the ISS attacked the RSS members who were peacefully doing morning exercise in a field and that let to notes.

BJP member Ram Naik charged the Muslim league with supporting the ISS and said in Malegaon (Maharashtra) a Janata Dal MLA was responsible for the disturbances.

Rajnath Sonkar Shastri (JD) condemned the RSS and said the disturbances in different parts were the fallout of the happenings in Ayodhya

Suraj Mandal (JMM) said the communal tension in the entire country was growing due to the Ayodhya issue and urged the Center and state govt to stop construction.

 

Article extracted from this publication >> July 31, 1992