Veteran archaeologist K K Muhammed is elated over the Supreme Court verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi issue not just because he was part of the team of archaeologists who did excavations at the disputed site, but also because the significance of archaeological science has been further vindicated with the verdict.
A native of Kozhikode in North Kerala, Mr. Muhammed had even faced several personal attacks owing to be a member of the archaeological team that found evidences of a temple-like structure at the disputed site. He considers the SC verdict as a balanced one and it could not be further improved upon considering the practical difficulties involved.
"I stayed there for about two years during 1976-77 as part of the excavation. Though a mosque was there at that time, Hindu devotional songs echoed in the area right from morning and lot of people from distant places used to visit the Ram temple. For Hindus, the place was like Mecca and Madina for Muslims. The Muslim community was about to realise the facts. But false propaganda were unleashed," he said.
Talking to DH over the verdict, Muhammed said that he even faced severe criticism and personal attacks by some section of the Muslim community for being part of the team. "A propaganda was made that I had no association with the excavation. I myself withdrew from the decision to honour me at a meeting of Aligarh University planned to be held at Farook College in Kozhikode recently owing to the campaign against me," said Mr. Muhammed who retired as regional director-North of Archaeological Survey of India a few years back.
Muhammed also said that many had cautioned him to be careful against physical attacks from vested interest groups. "Luckily I am not familiar with the people of Kozhikode as I served outside Kerala during my career," he said.
Media, both local and national, made a beeline to Muhammed's house on Saturday as the SC pronounced the judgment in the Ram Janmadhoomi dispute.
