The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), on Wednesday, called the Babri Masjid verdict which acquitted all accused, an unfortunate incident. The IUML leaders in Kerala have also appealed to people to maintain peace in the situation and to uphold secularism.
Earlier on Wednesday, a CBI court in Lucknow acquitted all 32 accused of the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case stating that the demolition of the mosque was not a pre-planned one, rather, it had happened in the “spur of the moment”. Several BJP leaders including former deputy Prime Minister LK Advani, former president of BJP Murli Manohar Joshi, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh, and others were acquitted as court observed that the evidence submitted by the CBI was not enough to prove conspiracy.
“The Supreme Court had itself said that what happened was an unlawful incident.But now all the accused are acquitted. This is so unfortunate and was not expected. It (the verdict) is as if Babri Masjid was not even there in the first place,” said MLA and IUML national general secretary PK Kunhalikutty.
He stressed that it took 28 years for the verdict, quoting the phrase “justice delayed is justice denied”.
Meanwhile, Panakkad Syed Ali Shihab Thangal, state president of IUML, called out for everyone to maintain peace and to uphold secularism. “The verdict is unfortunate. The investigation agency should go for appeal against it,” he told the media following the judgement.
Kunhalikutty also added that the investigation agencies should go for appeal in the case to show the world that law and justice still prevails in the country.
Kerala’s former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy has also come out expressing displeasure in the verdict. In a statement, he said that it is blindness to say that there is no evidence to something which the whole world witnessed live.
“This is something which makes one lose trust in the Indian judiciary, investigation agency. The country is going through darkness. It is blindness to say that something which occurred in the eyesight, does not have evidence,” he said.
Oommen Chandy also said that respecting everyone’s religion is part of Indian culture, but that has now incurred a blow.
“This verdict is a disaster that happened when the country got saffronised. The Liberhan Commission had found the involvement of senior BJP leaders in the conspiracy that is related to the destruction of Babri Masjid,” he added.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president also criticised the verdict stating that the court has not taken Liberhan Commission report into consideration. ‘It is suspicious whether there has been a high level conspiracy to help the accused persons,” he said.
Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala also said that CBI should go for appeal against the verdict. "This verdict by the trial court is a huge blow to the secular foundation of the country. Even the children of the country are aware about the conspiracy that led to the demolition of Babri Masjid. The country witnessed LK Advani leading the Kar sevaks in the 'rath yatra' that fumed communalism. Still court said there is no proof for anything."