India awaits its Ayodhya moment on Thursday, almost 18 years after the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992 that placed the country on a communal volcano which has periodically erupted from time to time. Today, individuals, parties and organizations who appealed for peace, hope the court verdict won't lead to another eruption.
The court may not resolve the row over whether a temple predated the mosque at the disputed site, but will certainly cast some light on the title claims.
There is hope that the moment will pass off peacefully. The optimism stems chiefly from two factors: The issue has lost the potency it once had. It is also felt that while many of the partisans in the temple-mosque dispute have moved on, the youth have only a faint memory of the wrenching fight for the disputed site.
It also gives all an opportunity to arrive at a negotiated settlement.
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