BABRI AFTER 10. The Indian Express is relieved that the tenth anniversary of the destruction of the 16th century Babri Mosque in Ayodhya appears likely to pass without incident. Rediff USA notes the same story. The Times of India has a good retrospective of the demolition, the resulting riots that killed 3000 people, and the ensuing court cases and inquiries that have been lumbering along, as the Times says, "at a snail's pace".

The Times's lead editorial by Deb Mukharji castigates (unnamed) state officials for remaining passive during the Babri riots and for actively supporting the murderous mobs in Gujarat earlier this year. Mukharji invokes the tolerance, and diversity that he sees as central to the strength and survival of Indian civilization. One passage has an application that goes beyond India and is worth quoting in its entirety:

Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan wrote: “Many great civilisations seemed in their day to be permanent and now the wind blows through their halls and stirs the dust of forgotten cities.’’ If Indian civilisation in the broadest sense has not met the fate of many others great in their day, it is not only because of philosophy but also due to its capacity to absorb and evolve. Its essence has not been majoritarian or exclusivist. It must be a matter of the greatest pride that in the past India has given refuge to peoples fleeing suppression of their faith. And all are jewels in the mosaic of this land.

I believe this is the same Deb Mukarji who was Indian ambassador to Nepal.