By speaking on Babri, is Mulayam trying to dilute Durga Shakti issue?

Updated: Tuesday, August 6, 2013, 10:46 [IST]

Bangalore, Aug 6: Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday said that late President Shankar Dayal Sharma knew about the plan for bringing down the Babri mosque on December 6, 1992, and conveyed this to the former when he went to meet him with other party leaders to seek intervention to stop the sinister design.

According to Mulayam, they had given a letter to the President and the later "looked around here and there" and told them that the mosque would be demolished, requesting them not to reveal it. Mulayam also said that he tried to speak to the government at the time but none listened. The mosque was demolished subsequently. The veteran leader even said that he was discouraged from penning a book on the issue for it was said that many leaders would be exposed.

In the past, Mulayam had also criticised late prime minister Narasimha Rao over the Babri demolition, saying the latter could not escape the responsibility for the tragedy.

The question is: Why is Netaji raising these issues now? Is he trying to divert attention towards the past to secure a shield for his son's government in Uttar Pradesh which is facing flak over suspension of an IAS officer. The issue has snowballed into a nationwide criticism of the Akhilesh government and a face-off with the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre.

Mulayam Singh Yadav is completely mistaken if he is thinking that turning the gun towards the Congress for what had happened two decades ago will provide an escape route to his son. Few people today are concerned about what the late President thought about Babri demolition and they are more worried about the fate of honest public servants like DSP Zia-ul-Haq and Durga Shakti Nagpal. While the former was killed by miscreants in March, the latter has been suspended for doing her duty and both these incidents have taken place in UP, which is being led by a new-generation leader.

Why not speak something that sounds more relevant today, Netaji? If you think Narendra Modi is not fit to become the country's prime minister because of the 2002 riots, then you should also get rid of your ambition to become the PM of the country for you have little concern for its welfare.

If Shankar Dayal Sharma knew about Babri demolition and the 'communal' BJP made gains, it is also true that politicians like you and Lalu Prasad found a golden opportunity in the Mandir politics of the early 1990s to emerge as messiahs of minorities. So why judge the story from a convenient point of view?

Let's talk on Durga Shakti, Mulayamji and how not to victimse her. Babri demolition doesn't excite India's thoughts anymore.