AYODHYA: Moved by the Supreme Court’s judgment in Ayodhya dispute, Santosh Dubey, the karsevak who claims to have played a crucial role in temple movement in 1990 and 1992, grapples with words and emotions to express his opinion and sentiments on Saturday.
With eyes welled up, Dubey acknowledges November 9, 2019, as the third happiest day in 52 years of his life as now his hope of seeing a grand Ram Temple in his lifetime may take a concrete shape. “The first happiest day was November 2, 1990, when my father, army man, had sent me for Ram Karya (Kar Sewa) in 1990. I returned with three gunshots fire by cops but was saved. The second happiest day in my life was December 6, 1992, when I got 17 fractures throughout by body and slipped into coma for 22 days as I
was pushed down accidentally from the dome of disputed structure. But saved again,” he explains.
“Today I feel vindicated and the commitment to myself to get Ram Lalla freed from makeshift temple fulfilled,” says Dubey claiming that he is known Hindu Naxalite among Muslims of Ayodhya.. Even today, they had approached the district administration to seek my house arrest, but district authorities paid no heed to their demands, claims the ex-kar sewak.
A farmer by profession, Dubey says he does nothing but reminds himself daily that his endeavour is not yet over. He recalls his journey and engagement with the temple movement since 1990. “I had taken the pledge to raise an army of kar sewaks in 1990 and I could do so successfully by 1992 when around 5,000 people from Ayodhya and adjoining districts had joined me,” recalls Dubey and adds: “When I look back at it, I feel I had the blessing of Lord Ram as it was miraculous to survive those near fatal blows to my life.”
He also remembers his meeting with BJP stalwarts LK Advani, Uma Bharti, Murli Manohar Joshi and also the then PM Narsimha Rao during those days of temple movement.
Dubey recalls how he had led 5000 kar sewaks to disputed site in 1992 and finally joined by lakhs who all turned deaf ears to the calls of senior leaders present on the site against demolition. “It was a frenzy,” he says but adds that he was chosen for Kar Sewa by divinity itself. Reacting to the verdict, Dubey says now the motive of his life is about to meet its culmination and this is the most gratifying feeling for him. “Now no other wish is there,” he says wiping his tears.