RSS Man involved in Babri Masjid demolition now builds mosques to wash away guilt

RSS Man involved in Babri Masjid demolition now builds mosques to wash away guilt

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Balbir  Singh was born in a village near Panipat, where his father Daulat Ram, a follower of Gandhi, was a school teacher. With his family, he later shifted to Panipat, where he was inspired by Bala Saheb Thackeray and joined Shiv Sena. He was also inspired by the ideology of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and was a regular attendee of a sakha in Panipat.

Balbir Singh, a former Shiv Sena leader from Panipat, Haryana often recalls the fateful day of December 6, 1992, that marked the demolition of Babri Masjid.

Balbir Singh said that along with his friend Mohammed Umar, formerly Yogendra Pal, he had vowed to construct the Sri Ram Mandir at Ayodhya demolishing the masjid. Today, the two are fulfilling their pledge to renovate 100 mosques, in an attempt to purge themselves of their sins.

On December 1, 1992, Balbir Singh reached Ayodhya to join thousands of kar sevaks coming from across the country. On December 6 that year, according to Balbir Singh, he was the first man to climb the middle dome.

"We feared that the army might have been deployed in large number. But on ground there was hardly any security, that gave us a boost and we were mentally prepared to demolish the masjid that day," said Balbir Singh.

Balbir Singh along with many other kar sevaks from Sonipat and Panipat demolished the dome with spades and pickaxes.

"When I reached my home town Panipat after that I was given a hero's welcome by the people," Balbir Singh said.

"But at home, my family's reaction shocked me. My secular family denounced my actions. I had participated in the kar seva because I felt strongly about it, but I realized later that I was wrong."

Balbir Singh, born a Rajput, said, "I realized that I had taken law in my hands and violated the constitution of India. Guilty, I embraced Islam and changed my name from Balbir Singh to Mohammed Aamir."

Aamir is married to a Muslim woman and runs a school to spread the teachings of Islam. Mohammed Aamir and Mohammed Umar have together built 90 mosques so far.

Aamir added that he was ready to testify before the concerned authorities and face any punishment given.

He was the first person to reach on top of the central dome, brandishing a hammer in his hand. After pulling down the mosque, he even took away a brick, to keep as a souvenir to placate his rancor and scorn against Muslims.

Soon after the demolition, Balbir along with another kar sevak (Hindu volunteers who demolished mosque) Yogendra Pal went into deep introspection. Six months later, they converted to Islam. Twenty-eight years later, Singh rechristened as Mohammed Amir, has already built 90 mosques. He had vowed to build 100 mosques to atone his participation in the demolition.

Talking to Anadolu Agency, Balbir Singh now Amir, said 28-years ago, he was consumed by hate, when he enthusiastically joined to demolish the mosque.

“I had pledged to build the temple in the name of Lord Ram at the site of Babri Mosque. After realizing blunder, I pledged to wash my sins, by constructing 100 mosques," he said.

Inspired by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), patron of all Hindu radical outfits, Singh was a member of the political outfit Shiv Sena.

“I used to attend RSS drills and training programs regularly in the city of Panipat in the state of Haryana, adjoining national capital Delhi,” he said. India’s current ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is believed to be the political wing of the RSS.

Recalling his journey, Singh said that he went into self-examination, soon after the demolition. “I came in contact with Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui through Yogendra Pal. His behavior and way of understanding led me to soul-searching. On June 1, 1993, I embraced Islam,” he said.

Siddiqui is an Indian cleric, who runs an Islamic teaching center in Phulat village located in Khatauli tehsil of Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh state.

Singh has now migrated to deep south in Hyderabad from the city of Panipat. He claims that over the past 28-years, he has already built or repaired 90 mosques all over India.

Born in a Hindu Rajput (upper caste) family in a small village near Panipat, Singh’s father, a school teacher, was inspired by the philosophy of India’s freedom icon Mahatma Gandhi, known for his theory of nonviolence.

“My father was upset with the bloodshed and large-scale violence, soon after India’s independence and did his best to help the Muslims in the area. He had wished me and my brothers to follow his footsteps,” said Singh.

His family had shifted from the village to the city of Panipat to continue education, where he started attending drills organized by the RSS. He later joined the Shiv Sena. He also started working with his brother in his loom business.

Recalling the day of demolition

Recalling the fateful day of Dec. 6, 1992, Balbir said the Hindu volunteers gathered all over India were afraid that the government may deploy the army to protect the mosque.

“There was no effective security around the mosque and that emboldened us. We were mentally prepared to destroy the mosque,” he said.

Singh said that he was in the first batch of volunteers, who reached the city of Ayodhya, where Babri Mosque was located. “My group reached there on Dec. 1 and I was the first one, who climbed atop the central dome of the mosque, using tools to bring it down,” he narrated.

“Our group from Panipat and the nearby city of Sonipat were the first, who charged towards the mosque using hammers and other tools to tear the dome down. After accomplishing the task, we were accorded hero’s welcome, when we returned to Panipat,” he recalled.

But, when Singh reached home, his family’s reaction shocked him. “They condemned me. All the euphoria evaporated. I realized that I had done the wrong thing. I had taken law in my own hands and violated the Constitution of India,” he added.

“I went into introspection. People thought I have lost mental balance. Finally, I decided to embrace Islam to give me peace of mind. Immediately, I started feeling better, “he said.

Today, Amir (formerly Balbir) is married to a Muslim woman and runs a school to spread Islamic teachings to a wide audience in the city of Hyderabad. He has built 90 mosques so far with his colleague Yogendra Pal.

Singh said that he is ready to face punishment for his involvement in the demolition of the Babri Mosque.

 

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When asked about the Indian Supreme Court verdict in the Babri Mosque case, he said: “Muslims should now move forward and work towards improving the relationship with Hindu brothers. Allah is with us. We should only look to Him for our needs.”

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