This is the question in minds of gazillion Indians both in India and abroad - offices, homes, streets and cyberspace are full of muted discussions between the calm, quite and most importantly largely secular Indians about the fallout of the Babri Masjid court trial.
The Supreme Court cleared the way for the High Court to announce verdict on 30th September 2010 - the date may be seen in future as a historical landmark. People, especially those who remember the 1993 riots which burned the nation for months (after the mosque was demolished by kar sevaks on Dec 16, 1992), are afraid that history may repeat itself - irrespective of the side the verdict takes.
There are some optimists also among us - those who think that India has changed. More than 15 years of liberalization, globalization and capitalist mindset has changed the populace which no more cares about religious animosity but is more concerned with progress. Hence, irrespective of the verdict - people will be much more tolerant and reactions may be much subdued as compared to 1992.
I would love to agree with these optimists, but I do not. The 1993 riots were not driven by people (who I repeat are largely secular) - they were driven by politicians - some to further their political ambitions, and others to expedite a political suicide (as they assumed) of their detractors. And politicians in India haven't changed as much - if some have become any less vitriolic, other have taken their place; if some are dead or senile, others have emerged to replace them.
More so, in a global minded populace - there is dearth of global minded politicians. Politicians still believe in winning the vote to rule the masses, than serving the masses to win the vote. The verdict may or may not irk these politicians, but it will sure create the same sentiment of opportunistic glare in their minds and God forbid, if the Government is not alert enough - they will not bequeath one chance to start violence.
The only saving chance could be if the court finds a silver bullet to weight the verdict in favour of none of the disputed parties. May be ambiguous verdict or may be an ingenious one. Such a verdict would indeed be God sent ... may the Lord win!
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