Apprehension among Indian Muslims surrounding inauguration of new Ram Temple
The forthcoming inauguration of the newly constructed Ram temple in Ayodhya, India, has instilled apprehension among many Muslims in the region, evoking memories of past traumatic events.
Safi Mohammad, an Indian tailor from Ayodhya, shares the sentiments of numerous Muslims planning to relocate their families before the arrival of thousands of pilgrims for the temple's inauguration.
For Safi Mohammad, the temple's location believed by Hindus to be the birthplace of Lord Ram and once the site of a Mughal-era mosque, triggers painful recollections. He vividly remembers the destruction of the Babri mosque by a Hindu mob in December 1992, a pivotal event that ignited religious violence claiming nearly 2,000 lives, predominantly Muslims including his uncle.
Expressing his concerns, Mohammad emphasized, 'My family has endured considerable hardships already... Anything unexpected can happen at any time.'
Ayodhya, situated in Uttar Pradesh, houses approximately 3 million residents, with a sizable Muslim population of around 500,000. Officials note that a significant proportion of these Muslims reside in close proximity to the newly erected Ram Temple. Several of these residents remain wary, especially in anticipation of the influx of Hindu visitors, fearing that any minor incident might escalate into a larger conflict.
Amidst this atmosphere of unease, numerous Muslim men revealed plans to relocate their families to the homes of relatives outside the city before the temple's opening ceremony scheduled for January 22.
Parvez Ahmad Qasmi, who operates an Islamic school in Ayodhya and lost his father-in-law during the religious riots over three decades ago, shared the prevailing sentiments within the community, stating, "We cannot predict the situation around the temple's opening - there's a palpable sense of fear among people."
The construction of the Ram temple holds significant political weight, as it aligns with the Hindu nationalist BJP's core promises. The temple's inauguration, set to be carried out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself, comes more than four years after the Supreme Court settled the dispute over the site, awarding it to Hindu groups. This development is anticipated to bolster the electoral prospects of the BJP in the forthcoming general elections.
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