History can’t be erased, says Ex-SC judge

Mumbai: History cannot be erased, former Supreme Court judge BN Srikrishna said on Saturday and asserted the sense of “us and them” must be eliminated.

He was speaking after inaugurating a photography exhibition on the 1992-93 communal riots which followed the Babri Masjid demolition and the serial blasts of March 12, 1993 in Mumbai.

“History cannot be erased. You cannot wipe out history. Exhibitions like these serve as a lesson on what must not be repeated and what needs to change,” said the former apex court judge, who led the Maharashtra government-appointed commission that probed the two horrific episodes.

“The sense of ‘us’ and ‘them’ must be eliminated,” he said at the photography exhibition being held at Mumbai Press Club. The month-long exhibition features 44 photographs captured by 14 Mumbai-based photojournalists.

Srikrishna, who also served as Chief Justice of Kerala High Court and judge of Bombay High Court, expressed gratitude to the media for its role in uncovering the truth.

Among those who visited the exhibition and interacted with photojournalists were Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale as well as former Rajya Sabha members Bhalchandra Mungekar and Hussain Dalwai.

“The photographs are very telling and are a sort of historical record. It will remind us we need to be compassionate and accommodative,” Athawale said.