On the 33rd anniversary of the Babri Mosque demolition, senior Indian journalist Rajdeep Sardesai issued a powerful reflection, labeling December 6, 1992, as a “shameful, bloody day” that continues to scar the nation’s conscience. His statement highlights the enduring internal critique of the historical event and the subsequent failure of accountability.
Sardesai stated that the day will forever be associated with the “worst memories,” linking the mosque’s destruction not only to the physical act of demolition but also to the constitutional breakdown and the catastrophic communal riots in Mumbai that resulted in the deaths of over a thousand people. He described his experience reporting on the events as an eyewitness as the most difficult time of his journalistic career.
The journalist reserved his harshest criticism for the judicial outcome, asserting that all individuals responsible for the “heinous crime, rioting, violence, and looting” ultimately “got away.” This comment implicitly refers to the 2019 decision by the Indian Supreme Court to acquit all the accused, despite historical reports linking political figures like L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi to the incitement of the extremist Hindu mobs.
The demolition occurred 33 years ago when groups affiliated with the BJP, RSS, and Bajrang Dal tore down the mosque. The ensuing nationwide violence resulted in over 2,000 Muslim casualties.
