Abstract
On 30 September 2010, the six decade old title suit on the disputed land in Ayodhya on which the Babri Masjid once stood was finally untangled. Nevertheless, the verdict of the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court to divide the land into three equal parts among the parties is largely problematic, as a property dispute was decided more on faith and belief than on historical evidence.
In a broader context, the fate of Babri Masjid, or Ram Janmabhoomi, can be compared to the very fate of the Indian secularism. After several wrong decisions of the State, both issues have taken a direction which has ultimately led to a huge distortion both of the Ayodhya debate and the secular principles in India.
To assure the anxious Muslims about their rights and to curb the emboldened Hindu nationalists, India now has to redefine its secularism debate in order to find a new way to religious tolerance.