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Indians should hang heads in shame over demolition of Babri Masjid: Pranab Mukherjee

Indian president criticises former PM Narasimha Rao's inability to prevent the demolition of Mughal era mosque in 1992

News Desk January 29, 2016

PHOTO: twitter/ @RashtrapatiBhvn

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee has held the country's former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao responsible for demolition of Babri mosque, which led to country-wide riots in 1992.

“The inability to prevent the demolition of the Babri Masjid was one of PV’s [Narasimha Rao] biggest failures,” writes Mukherjee in the second volume of his memoir – The Turbulent Years: 1980 - 96.

“The demolition of Babri Masjid was an act of absolute perfidy, which should make all Indians hang their heads in shame.”

The ghosts of tragedies past

Coming up: Prseident Pranab Mukherjee on who was responsible for the Babri demolition #PranabMemoir pic.twitter.com/ZlZZSL90V5
— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) January 28, 2016

2nd volume of memoirs of #PresidentMukherjee titled “The Turbulent Years– 1980-1996” was released today pic.twitter.com/9SA2iK5Ykr
— President Mukherjee (@POI13) January 28, 2016

Modi, facing tight election, hits back at "intolerance" criticism

The Indian president has chronicled momentous developments of the 1980s and 90s in the book, including former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination, Operation Blue Star, and his ousting from Rajiv Gandhi’s cabinet.

I had the good fortune to be a witness and, sometimes, a participant in many momentous events of the 1980s and 1990s #PresidentMukherjee
— President Mukherjee (@POI13) January 28, 2016

"This volume is an account of major events from my perspective," he said while speaking about the book on Thursday.

This volume is an account of major events from my perspective #PresidentMukherjee pic.twitter.com/Ti6QYKF7Z6
— President Mukherjee (@POI13) January 28, 2016

-With input from India Today

COMMENTS (11)

shah | 8 years ago | Reply Indian Secularism and democracy is naked today... BJP might gain more support for such a well planned attack on Muslims.

Motiwala | 8 years ago | Reply @Malik Saab: Because MAYBE there was never a temple there, to be razed. Just conjecture. Rumors propagated by BJP, RSS, Shiv Sena.... And IT HAPPENED HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO, current MUSLIMS are not responsible for what happened THEN. The CURRENT hindu generation is the ONE that destroyed Babri Mosque. Hope this helps you understand. Can draw pictures, in detail, for YOU too,...to make it easy.

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Shahid Akram | 8 years ago | Reply I am really impressed from his statement.

John B | 8 years ago | Reply While I concur with the spirit of the President, I should also equally point out that many early mosques in India were built with the pillars demolished from the hindu temples across the country. The Vishnu temple pillars of the mosque in Delhi Qudib Minar campus is one example and the history of Somnath temple destruction and the pieces of the magnificent idol of the temple in Kandahar and in Agra Mosque threshold steps is another. I wonder when and where did the idea of place of worship destruction started.

Romm | 8 years ago | Reply I agree with the President of India. Indians should be ashamed of themselves.

Asok | 8 years ago | Reply Yes, it should have been settled via courts, not by extra-constitutional violence fostered by a major political party.

Bunny Rabbit | 8 years ago | Reply Why always live in the past . what was build / broken several hundreds of years ago ... why mull over it now . lets move on ... we can always build a new place of worship nearby ( an exact replica ) with government grant and start with our favoured rules/ systems . What about the millions spent in the past to build / rebuild the structure first by our ancestors ? all that down the drain now ?

Malik Saab | 8 years ago | Reply Religion is a very dangerous product if someone do not handle it with care. The sub-continent is filled with tales of religious bigotry. Unfortunately the demolition of Babri Masjid is wrong, but if we go down the memory lane then so called Muslim rulers did not follow the injunctions of Peaceful religion and They destroyed one huge temple and built a Babri Mosque there. Our religion told us not to raze any structures and respect others even in case of war. Why the Mughals and other rulers destroyed the Holy temples of Hindus and then built the structure over them?. This was an utter provocation and disrespect of the teachings of the religion Islam as well. So even tough i am not suggesting anything, but i must add that who goes around, comes around. Muslims should say sorry that why Hindu temple was razed in the past and Mosque was built on it, while Hindus should say sorry to destroying the mosque to settle the scores.

G. Din | 8 years ago | Reply Ledger has not yet been balanced. Babri was the opening shot. There are a few more yet to be demolished. All in proper time. Hindus have oodles of patience.

Sam | 8 years ago | Reply Yes Indians should keep ashamed of one Babri demolition while being the country of largest numbers of mosques in the world

Vicky | 8 years ago | Reply Offcourse Indians should be ashamed for their treatment of minorities which has grown 17% from 3% with 2 lakhs mosques increased from few hundreds of 47 era

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