Anand Patwardhan's Documentary and Violence in India
Anand Patwardhan's documentary is regarded to be the root cause of violence in India. Anand shows the campaigns of a Hindu faction known as the Vishva Hindu Parishad to demolish the Bibra Masjid Muslim mosque and replace it with a Hindu temple devoted to Rama in this video. Shortly after the release of this documentary, the Bibra Masjid was destroyed, sparking further unrest.
Advani's Pilgrimage and the Rath Yatra
It begins with a narrative of Advani's pilgrimage to promote the construction of the aforementioned temple. Advani was the leader of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a movement that gave political support to the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) motives. This journey is called the 'rath yatra' in Hindu and takes place in 1990. Advani intended to reach Ayodhya and participate in the demolition, but he is arrested by the state government of Bihar. This infuriated his supporters and began demolishing the mosque leading to retaliation from the paramilitary forces. In the assault, many supporters were killed.
The Mysterious Descent of Rama's Idol
The film also includes a video prepared by the VHP group that shows how the idol of Rama mysteriously descended from the heavens into the Bibra Masjid mosque in full view of spectators. This version is enforced by a VHP member as he recounts his experience on this issue.
Communal Violence and Voices of Muslims
Anand then shows interviews in which Muslims residing around the mosque tell of their displeasure at the communal violence between Hindus and Muslims seen in 1986. He further shows interviews of the young men of VHP who swear to take possession of the contentious site in Ayodhya even if it means doing it by force.
End of the Documentary and Political Speeches
The documentary ends with Advani's rath yatra entering Bihar, and this is followed by speeches with political tones from the BJP members. These speeches are filled with inciteful remarks. The very end of the documentary justifies why Mahatma Gandhi had to die at the hands of Nathuram Godse.
