The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:
Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque Judgement Unfortunate
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) expresses its grave concern over the Madhya Pradesh High Court judgment in the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque dispute and its wider implications for the secular and democratic foundations of the Indian republic.
By setting aside the order of the Archaeological Survey of India granting Muslims the right to pray at the complex, the judgment echoes the very same arguments made by the Supreme Court in the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi title suit and is bound to have a significant bearing on similar such disputes.
The judgement cannot be viewed in isolation from the growing trend in which historical and religious disputes are increasingly being reopened and adjudicated in ways that risk deepening communal divisions. The judgement appears to be unwilling to consider the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which was enacted by parliament to prevent endless communal contestations over religious sites. The MP High Court judgement is in complete contravention of the provisions of this Act.
The judgement would only help communal forces like the BJP-RSS combine which have consistently sought to foreground divisive religious issues while diverting attention from the pressing concerns facing the people.
The Party is hopeful that the Supreme Court which would be hearing the appeals will set aside this judgement.
The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) urges the judiciary to uphold the secular principles enshrined in the Constitution as communalism in all forms constitutes a grave threat to national unity and democratic life. We call upon all secular and democratic forces to resist attempts to divide people on religious lines and to strengthen struggles around livelihood, social justice, equality, and the rights of all citizens.