Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Calcutta (Agenzia Fides) - "Mother Teresa wanted the land disputed between Hindus and Muslims in the town of Ayodhya, in Uttar Pradesh, to become the site for a shelter for the poorest of the poor, for the terminally ill of any religion. This was, according to her, a way to defuse the conflict. With that service to humanity, she said, the Hindus would have brought honor to the god Rama and Muslims would have honored Allah." This is what Fides was told by Archbishop Henry D'Souza, Archbishop Emeritus of Calcutta, in addressing an issue that is still troubling the nation.
The Archbishop tells Fides: "I remember that shortly after the destruction of the Babri mosque and the violence that followed, Mother Teresa came asking me to accompany her to visit the Prime Minister or President of India, to ask that on that land, a source of so much violence, a shelter could be built as a service to suffering humanity. The Missionaries of Charity would be willing to manage the house. Although I liked the idea, I told her that it was honestly not my intention to enter into a matter which was then completely politicized, but I invited her to continue her project. I do not know if she later managed to reach the leaders of the nation with this idea. Today, I believe that turning the place into a center of service to the poor and suffering would be a wonderful way to end the dispute and give a story that has generated hatred and murder a happy ending for the whole nation."
The dispute in Ayodhya, in 1992, gave rise to fierce clashes between Hindus and Muslims (2,000 deaths), after Hindu extremists destroyed the Babri mosque, reclaiming the previous presence of a temple to the god Rama in the same place.
After a long process, the story seems near completion: on September 24, a verdict was expected from the Court of Allahabad. The Supreme Court postponed the verdict, however, accepting the petition of an independent lawyer (see Fides 09/24/2010), setting a new hearing for today, September 28. The hearing may last a few days. The parties want a verdict, but the civil authorities fear that the decision, whatever it is, could trigger new tensions between Hindus and Muslims.
In addition, on October 1, a judge-member of the bench, is retiring. According to observers, if he were replaced, the process would virtually have to start from scratch. Some argue, however, that to avoid such a result, his tenure could be extended ad hoc, to follow the case of Ayodhya until its conclusion.
As for the outcome of the event, Archbishop D'Souza said: "It's my impression that the verdict will suffer more delays. I think we still need to explore ways of reconciliation and find ways not to generate additional violence and help create peace and harmony in Indian society."
In response to questions posed by Fides, Fr. Babu Joseph Karakombil, spokesman of the Bishops' Conference of India, said: "I do not think the verdict will come in a few days, partly because India will be under the spotlight of the world for the Commonwealth Games and the authorities do not want unrest that might damage the country's international image. In any case, I see little room for mediation for an extrajudicial settlement. It must be said, also, that after the sentence there will still be the possibility for an appeal, so the dispute will not end. However, the risk of accidents and violence is high. I believe that under the rule of law, all citizens must abide by the decisions of the Court." (PA) (27/09/2010)
