Senior Advocate Rajeev Dhavan, who is representing one of the Muslim parties in the Ram Janambhoomi dispute, is having a pretty bad day. After suffering a complete meltdown in the Supreme Court when he ended up tearing documents and maps submitted by the Hindu Mahasabha, he has been reduced to making obtuse arguments in front of the Bench.

If the argument in favour of Babri Masjid is going to be made on the basis of restitution, then it’s not one that the Muslim parties have any hope of winning. There is enough evidence that proves the Masjid was indeed built after the destruction of a Temple and that Hindus have been fighting for restitution since 1528. In addition to that, there is a great deal of historical evidence which shows that the destruction of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya was not an exception but the norm during the rule of Islamic barbarians.

Persecution of Hindus was state policy under Islamic invaders and the destruction of Temples was pursued with a religious zeal. It is not an accusation that is borne of Hindu fundamentalism or bigotry, as the Left and the Islamic fundamentalists would have us believe. In fact, if the spirits of Islamic invaders were to resurface today, they would be disgusted and revolted by how they are being portrayed by these elements.

The Islamic invaders never shied away from proclaiming that they were fighting, raping and pillaging the Kaafirs for the sake of Jihad. They took pride in it and took great joy in the persecution of idolators. If Aurangzeb were told that he was one of the most liberal Emperors to have ruled, as Rajeev Dhavan argued in Court, he would bang his head against the wall and keep banging it until his head split open. These are not statements borne of bigotry, these are facts.

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Therefore, the argument by Rajeev Dhavan that the Muslim parties merely want the Babri Masjid to be returned to them and seeking a verdict in favour of it on the basis of restitution does not work in their favour. The Babri Masjid was the product of religious bigotry and persecution, a stone structure that was evidence of the atrocities Hindus were forced to endure during the rule of Islamic invaders.

Read: Ayodhya Dispute: Muslim parties seem to have given up hope for a favourable verdict and are afraid of the floodgates opening

For centuries, Hindus have been waiting for the restoration of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya. What happened on the 6th of December, 1992 was the outburst of collective anger of having denied the basic right to have a Temple at the birthplace of the King of Ayodhya. It may be difficult for some people to comprehend but Rama will always be the King of Ayodhya and He will always rule the hearts and minds of pious Hindus.

The restoration is important not merely for the purpose of justice but for the sake of our civilizational identity. The restoration of the Ram Mandir at Ram Janambhoomi will be a confirmation of the fact that our civilization is not destined for the museums. We are a living and breathing civilization, our Gods are still worshipped here and a legacy that goes back thousands of years is still cherished and carried forward by the people of this land.

Rajeev Dhavan says that the verdict should be in favour of Babri Masjid and he seeks restitution. Unsurprisingly, he also believes Aurangzeb was one of the most liberal rulers. If India is to emerge as a power to reckon with and fulfil its greater objective in the world, our country cannot afford to be held hostage to such a delusional worldview. We must confront our past on honest terms instead of attempting to whitewash the brutalities of the horror Hindus suffered in medieval India.

Read: Ram Janmabhoomi case: Senior Advocate Rajeev Dhawan representing Muslim parties has a complete meltdown, tears up maps, papers

A strong country cannot be built upon a foundation of lies. India was not born on the 15th of August, 1947. Our country was the manifestation of the great Hindu Civilization in an era of nation-states. And that is why the Ram Mandir must be rebuilt. The restoration of it would be akin to a phoenix rising from its ashes. The restoration of the Ram Mandir at Ram Janambhoomi does have the potential to open floodgates and initiate new dawn for our civilization.

The stories that are told of the Ram Janambhoomi Movement fill Hindus with pride and joy but also make them grieve for the Mandir that has not yet been built. The Ram Janambhoomi movement was the first true demonstration of Hindu unity in Independent India. It was a reminder to those who seek to divide us that we are still one. And that sent shockwaves across the secular establishment.

The edifice of Hindutva’s utter domination of the political arena was built on the back of the movement. It has transformed and changed and accommodated new things to propel itself further but no one could ever possibly forget where it all began. At the end of the day, the Return of the King of Ayodhya to His sacred abode would mark a new beginning, a new dawn for a New India. And it is on the foundation of our civilizational identity, that we shall aspire to reach new heights of greatness as a country.