ABSTRACT
With the year 1992 approaching its end, the demolition of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya, which sent an exaggerated message all over the world that secularism in India was giving way to an extremist Hindu ideology, helped transform the semisleeping monster of communalism into an uncontrollable epidemic in the streets. The militants in Kashmir damaged a number of Hindu temples. The Rao government's partial response to strong criticism for its conduct during the riots in the aftermath of the Ayodhya affair was the appointment of a special Minister of Internal Security (Rajesh Pilot) to deal exclusively with Kashmir. Not only was this commissioning a repetition of the former superficial Fernandes experience, it corresponded to the reappointment of General K. V. Krishna Rao to governorship replacing G. C. Saxena. While these assignments were interpreted as part of a softer line policy, Dr. A. A. Guru, known for his close relations with the JKLF and also for his soft line, was kidnapped by the militants (31 March) and found dead the next day.
