Parliamentary Debate on Places of Worship Act – Part IV (Shri Ashok Anandrao Deshmukh)

Continuing our series on the speeches made against the Places of Worship Act at the time of its introduction in the Parliament, we will now look at the final speech made against the act by Parbani MP Shri Ashok Anandrao Deshmukh.

Shri Ashok Anandrao Deshmukh was a well known leader of Shiv Sena from the Marathwada region. He is popular for his role in the agitation for a separate agricultural university in the Marathwada region which was sanctioned by the government in 1972. After the construction of the university, he resigned from his post as an Agricultural Officer in Maharashtra government in order to become an Assistant Professor in the University at 1979. He was elected twice as the Shiv Sena MP from Parbani between 1989-1996. The speech made by Shri Ashok Anandrao Deshmukh is as follows:

“Mr. Speaker, Sir, this Bill which has been moved in this august House is a black Bill. It will be proved inauspicious for the country. As such, I oppose it. Sir, l am going to give the factual position and therefore if anyone finds it unpleasant he should not protest and if anyone finds it good should also not commend it. I request you to give me a patient hearing. 

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I understand that the Congress Party is supporting this Bill owing to the reason that they had mentioned in their Manifesto that the position of Places of Worship on 15th August 1947 will be restored. As such they are functioning as per their manifesto. But Mr. Speaker, Sir, why have they kept Jammu & Kashmir separate from the purview of this Bill? In Jammu & Kashmir scores of temples have been demolished but this fact has not been mentioned in this Bill. I, therefore, oppose it. 

Mr. Speaker, Sir, the second reason for opposing this Bill is that the pre-Independence names of streets and residential colonies have been changed after independence. They have been renamed after the stalwarts of the Indian freedom movement. lf the position of 15th August 1947 is to be restored then the statues of George V and Queen Victoria would have again to be installed. Thus, this is not a legislation aimed at bringing about communal harmony. Rather, it would be reduced to a Government document indicating a beginning of communal tension. The souls of our great leaders will never forgive this Govemment and the future generations would look back on this Bill as reminiscent of Aurangzeb’s reign. 

We regard the Parliament House as the temple of our Constitution and in this temple of the Constitution many Shlokas, Mantras and Suktis from our religious texts are written and they were written after August 15, 1947. Now if you are going to maintain the status quo as on August 15, 1947, and suppose tomorrow if someone says that these writings should be removed, will you remove them? Therefore I oppose this Bill. 

Some places of worship have been handed over to refugees from Sindh and Punjab. Now if the status quo as on August 15, 1947 is maintained, you will have to take back those shrines from them and this would eventually fuel communal riots. This Bill has been introduced at a time when the country is passing through a critical phase. This was not the appropriate time to bring forward this legislation. Shri Chavan is our leader. He hails from Maharashtra and is a freedom fighter. What I want to say is that this should not have been brought now. It is a black Bill. It is a matter concerning one and all, not just the BJP or Shiv Sena. There should be religion in politics but not politics in religion. 

We have always lauded those Muslim forces who have stood for the country’s unity. They fought along with us in the country’s fight for freedom. When they raised the demand for Pakistan, we gave it to them considering them our brothers. Now, they are demanding Kashmir. It is my humble submission that when they are demanding Kashmir now, we should prepare ourselves to take back even that piece of territory which we had given earlier. We are not against the Muslims.

MR. SPEAKER: This is not allowed. This is not going to form part of the record. You leave it to me. Time is very limited. Come to the provisions of the Bill. 

SHRI ASHOK ANANDRAO DESHMUKH (Parbani): Mr. Speaker, Sir, yesterday when you were not here, they spoke a lot on this issue. We found it unbearable. Yet we didn’t utter a word. Now, they too should have the patience to listen to us.

MR. SPEAKER: This is not going on record. Please come to the provisions of the Bill. People may think that you have not gone through the Bill.  

SHRI ASHOK ANANDRAO DESHMUKH (Parbani): I have read it and certainly so. I am just giving a background. There are two Issue involved. The demolition of the Mosque is one issue and that of the temple construction is another. No Hindu wants to demolish the Dargah at Ajmer. No Hindu wishes to lay his hand on the Jama Masjid and no Hindu wants to remove even a single brick from our proud possession, the Taj MahaI. In this country. we have three Iakh mosques of which 3.000 mosques are under dispute. The Hindu is demanding just three temples which are the symbols of his honour. In one of these places, Lord Rama was born·and the people have been offering their prayers at these places for centuries. About this, Babasaheb Ambedkar said that.. 

MR. SPEAKER: This is not going on record. I am not going to allow you to raise such points on the floor of the House. You are not understanding your responsibility. You are a Member of the Parliament, a representative of the people. Do not make such statements on the floor of the House. 

SHRI ASHOK ANANDRAO DESHMUKH (Parbani): I cannot’even refer to Babasaheb. If that’s it, it’s alright. 

MR. SPEAKER: Please come to the Bill. Now you have made your point. You have opposed the Bill. Now you can sit down if you like.

SHRI ASHOK ANANDRAO DESHMUKH (Parbani): Sir, we don’t blame Islam. These people don’t follow the teachings of their Prophet. They don’t follow even the Shariat and what’s more, they are not prepared to abide by even the law of the Land. 

MR. SPEAKER: Shri Deshmukh, please take your seat. I am warning you now. If you repeat it, I will take action against you. 

SHRI ASHOK ANANORAO DESHMUKH (Parbani): You haven’t seen the Vishwanath temple, you haven’t seen the glory of Lord Krishna 

MR. SPEAKER: This is not going on record. 

SHRI ASHOK ANANORAO DESHMUKH (Parbani): I won’t give up that easily. There will be bloodshed in this country. I want to speak and you please allow me to do so. With Goddess Saraswati before my eyes. I cannot keep quiet. The Muslims don’t follow even the Shariat.

MR. SPEAKER: Shri Deshmukh, please take your seat. I am very serious about this matter. You please take your seat now. When I am standing. you will have to take your seat. 

Mr. Deshmukh, you will please understand that you are a very learned Member of this House and you understand that such references are not made on the floor of the House. I have warned you more than once not to make references to any religion or any caste. Now if you continue doing that, well, I know what the House would like me to do. That is why I warn you to come to the provisions of the Bill and not to make such statements which will unnecessarily inflame the passions. 

SHRI ASHOK ANANDRAO DESHMUKH (Parbani): Sir, why are they confined to the year 1947 only? Why are not they going to retain the position of the 10th century when the Muslims with their religion i.e., Islam came to this country. Were the names of the Ganga and Saraswati like those of Ameena or Rubia at that time? Our country has a culture of its own. They are making a fuss about temples which never disrupted the country’s unity and integrity rather these temples, as well as our rivers, have strengthened the unity and integrity of this country. 

I would like to assert that this Bill will split the relations between Hindus and Muslims in the country. Both the communities have very high regard for Nehru and Gandhi. Hon. Nehru was like our father and the Indian Muslims must have the same feelings regarding Nehruji. Both the communities eat the same fruits, same foodgrains etc. and we must understand each other. 

I would like to ask you to wish ‘Vande Matram’ as we do. ‘Vande Matram’ literally means ‘Worship the mother’. Through this phrase, we just express our gratitude towards our motherland which nourishes us by providing each and everything to us. Sir, I would have to request each and everyone including Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad that they should also use the phrase ‘Vande Matram’. All of us, including Hindus and Muslims live here. We appeal to all to say ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’. But they (the Muslims) never use the words ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ or talk of ‘Vande Matram.’ If the Muslims want to live in this country properly they should live like us. We shall not allow them to over side us. They too will have to come along with us. 

I would conclude in a few minutes. Our religious shrines are not only the embodiments of religion but these are our social structures also. For example, take the Community Hall. Earlier meetings were held normally in temples. So this issue of temple is not a religious issue. It is linked with our social and cultural structure. The last point I would like to raise here as to why our Muslim brothers today want to preserve the identity of those foreign invaders who had demolished these temples centuries ago if these Muslims acknowledged themselves as Indian.”

(Feature Image Source: Lok Sabha)