Protest over Babri Masjid demolition disturbs AP Assembly

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December 06, 2005 14:57 IST

Majlis-e-Ittehaadul Muslimeen members stalled the proceedings of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Tuesday demanding that the Congress government at the Centre take immediate steps to rebuild Babri Masjid at Ayodhya.

Noisy protests by the MIM members, after their adjournment motion on the issue was disallowed, forced the Speaker, Mr K R Suresh Reddy, to adjourn the House twice before a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee was held.

After the House reassembled, MIM members led by floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi staged a walkout after their plea for adopting a resolution afresh on rebuilding of the mosque or to adjourn the House for the day was rejected by the Speaker.

As soon as the House met in the morning, the Speaker disallowed the adjournment motions tabled by different parties on various issues. MIM, Telugu Desam Party and Telangana Rashtra Samithi members were on their feet, demanding discussions on the issues raised by them.

Four MIM members trooped into the well of the House, holding placards and shouting slogans. TRS members also sought a discussion on Polavaram project. The Speaker adjourned the House for 10 minutes. When the House reassembled, MIM and TRS members continued their protest, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House again.

MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi termed the demolition of Babri Masjid by "...anti-social and anti-national elements" on December 6, 1992, "A blot on Indian democracy and a serious assault on the Constitution and the secular fabric of the country."

He said the Muslims were observing December 6 every year as a "Black Day" to mark their protest. He called upon all secular parties in the country to share the grief of the Muslims on the issue. He demanded that the State Assembly adopt a resolution seeking rebuilding of Babri Masjid.

The Speaker shared that the House respected the sentiments of MIM members. "There is no second opinion on this. Everybody respects your sentiments. Nobody differs with you. The Assembly had passed a resolution on this issue earlier. All political parties supported you in the BAC and agreed that your party be allowed to register its protest on the floor of the House," he said.

Intervening on the issue, Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy said, "We all appreciate the concern expressed by you. All secular parties honour and respect your sentiments. It is certainly a black day. In 1992, this Assembly passed a resolution condemning the demolition. We feel that there is no point in passing a resolution again. The matter is before the Supreme Court. The general consensus among all political parties is that as and when the Supreme Court passes its judgement, we will abide by it."

Akbaruddin Owaisi said that the then prime minister P V Narasimha Rao was responsible for demolition of Babri Masjid by the kar sevaks. The Congress had done nothing to fulfill the promise made by Narasimha Rao to rebuild the Babri Masjid. It was true that the party was out of power for almost nine years out of 13 years since the demolition.

He alleged that the Congress regime in the state had tried to scuttle protests by Muslims on the issue by refusing permission for holding rallies or organizing public meetings. He said the Assembly had adopted the resolution for rebuilding Babri Masjid in 1992 even as the dispute was pending in the Supreme Court. He pleaded with the Speaker to allow the House to adopt another resolution on the same demand and to adjourn the House for the day.

Rejecting both the demands, the Speaker said it was a sensitive issue and every political party had its opinion on it. In any case, the matter was before the Supreme Court and everybody was committed to abide by the verdict.

After the MIM members staged a walk-out, the House took up a short discussion on "the spread of HIV/AIDS in Andhra Pradesh."

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