This slogan translates to “Babri was only a preview; Kashi and Mathura are still to be taken care of.” The slogan emerged in the aftermath of the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh in 1992 by a Hindu nationalist mob. The phrase suggests that the destruction of the Babri Mosque was merely the beginning of a broader campaign to “reclaim” other Muslim religious sites, specifically the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi (Kashi) and the Shahi Eidgah Mosque in Mathura, which Hindu nationalists falsely claim were built over Hindu temples destroyed by Muslim rulers.
Background and Context
The slogan first appeared in the late 1980s and early 1990s, during the buildup to the Babri Masjid demolition, among militant Hindu nationalist cadres. It was popularized by leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal, and the BJP in speeches and street agitations. The chant has resurfaced repeatedly during periods of heightened religious tension between Hindus and Muslims, most recently amid legal and extra-legal campaigns challenging the existence of the Gyanvapi Mosque and Shahi Eidgah Mosque in Uttar Pradesh. The slogan serves as both a provocation and a threat, signaling the continued intent of Hindu nationalist groups to appropriate or demolish prominent Muslim religious sites.
Impact and Harm
The slogan glorifies the violent demolition of Muslim places of worship and frames such acts of past destruction as a model for future actions. It fuels religious polarization by treating Muslim places of worship as illegitimate and deserving erasure. The repeated use of such slogans also contributes to a climate in which mob attacks against Muslims are encouraged, with scant regard for the rule of law.
Variants and Alternative Forms
बाबरी तो बस झांकी है काशी मथुरा बाकी है
Online Usage
