Taking responsibility: Babri Mosque was our biggest failure, says Mukherjee

He held the country’s former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao responsible for the demolition of Babri Mosque

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee has held the country’s former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao responsible for the 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 former prime minister  Narasimha Rao’s 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 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.

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

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th,  2016.