By Girish Kumar Dubey
"Several political parties had become part of the Babri Mosque Action Committee. They had announced that since the doors at the Ram Janmbhoomi site had opened, they would go and protest and offer prayers there. That time the situation was such that all political parties had condemned this act. If Bharatiya Janata Party had not intervened and Lal Krishna Advani had not taken out his 'Rath Yatra', then there would have been a bloodbath at that place. The situation was tensed in the country," said Bharti.
Bharti had played a prominent role in the 'Ram Janmbhoomi' movement and her strong speeches in support of the demolition of the medieval Babri mosque had made her a controversial figure.
The dispute over the land of Babri Mosque and Rama Temple at Ayodhya, also the birthplace of Hindu God Ram, in Uttar Pradesh has been a long pending issue between Hindus and Muslims.
The demolition of the 16th-century mosque by thousands of Hindu fanatics in 1992 triggered one of India's worst riots, in which more than 2,000 people were killed.
The Allahabad High Court in September 2010 ruled that the disputed site would be split between Hindus and Muslims, with Hindus being allowed to keep a makeshift temple that was built over the demolished central mosque dome.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, India's apex court, on May 09 stayed the ruling of the Allahabad High Court ordering status quo in one of the country's most religiously divisive cases.
She also condemned Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi's visit to villages of northern Uttar Pradesh state over the issue of land acquisition. She said that instead of taking out a rally, Gandhi should discuss the matter with the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh and chalk out a plan to help the poor farmers.
"The federal government actions are against the welfare of the farmers. Everybody has the right to take out a rally in a democracy. I would like to suggest him (Rahul Gandhi) that he sits with Manmohan Singh for an hour and declare the rights of the farmers. They should declare their stand on the land acquisition issue of the farmers. This would save him from taking out a rally," she added.
Gandhi on Tuesday (July 05) began a 'Pad Yatra', march from Bhatta Parsaul village in northern Uttar Pradesh state to address farmers who were recently agitating against the acquisition of their land by the state government.
Looking firm on holding a Mahapanchayat (apex body of village councils) to address issues pertaining to the farmers even after being denied by the state government, Gandhi started his march to familiarise with the problems of farmers and their compatibility with the new land acquisition policy.
Earlier on Friday (July 01) the Mayawati led government of Uttar Pradesh had denied permission to Congress of organising a mega event of Mahapanchayat in Aligarh and Bulandshahr districts on July 9.
Gandhi had also visited the villages earlier at the time of agitation after which he was arrested and released by the state government.
The farmers of Bhatta Parsaul villages had clashed with the government officials after their land was acquired. Four people, including two policemen lost their lives in the clash.
Farmers were agitating in the twin Bhatta Parsaul villages, around 60 kilometres from New Delhi, since January 2011 demanding higher compensation for their lands that was acquired by the state government for the construction of a highway.
The fierce alteration created immense pressure on the state government and the latter was forced to formulate a new land acquisition policy in the state.
Senior leader of India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, Uma Bharti defends the 'Rath Yatra' taken out by Lal Krishna Advani to mobilise support for building a grand Hindu temple at a disputed site by demolishing a mosque. She also says that Advani saved the country from communal violence.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL
VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (JULY 06, 2011) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)
1. FUNCTION IN PROGRESS
2. MURALI MANOHAR JOSHI, A SENIOR LEADER OF INDIA'S MAIN OPPOSITION BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY (BJP) SITTING
3. AUDIENCE SITTING
4. UMA BHARTI, BJP LEADER ADDRESSING THE AUDIENCE
5. JOSHI SITTING
6. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) UMA BHARTI, REINSTATED BJP LEADER, SAYING:
"Several political parties had become part of the Babri Mosque Action Committee. They had announced that since the doors at the Ram Janmbhoomi site had opened, they would go and protest and offer prayers there. That time the situation was such that all political parties had condemned this act. If Bharatiya Janata Party had not intervened and Lal Krishna Advani had not taken out his 'Rath Yatra', then there would have been a bloodbath at that place. The situation was tensed in the country."
7. JOSHI SITTING
8. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) UMA BHARTI, REINSTATED BJP LEADER, SAYING:
"The federal government actions are against the welfare of the farmers. Everybody has the right to take out a rally in a democracy. I would like to suggest him (Rahul Gandhi) that he sits with Manmohan Singh for an hour and declare the rights of the farmers. They should declare their stand on the land acquisition issue of the farmers. This would save him from taking out a rally."
9. AUDIENCE AT THE FUNCTION
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