Explained: The Ayodhya Ram temple journey, from November 9, 1989 to August 5, 2020
VHP’s Shilanyas
- On November 9, 1989, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) had put the first stone for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Ever since it had announced a foundation laying ceremony at Ayodhya, Hindus from across the world started sending it financial assistance for the cause.
- The VHP was all set, but the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court ordered a status quo. Determined to defy the court order, VHP collected funds and bricks with Shree Ram written on them, organised kar sevaks and held prayers to go ahead with the Shilanyas.
- Rajiv Gandhi’s government, apparently hoping to cash in on Hindu sentiments to tide over the intensifying political agitation and public anger against his government, decided to let the VHP conduct the ceremony.
L K Advani’s Rath Yatra
- The most important milestone in the BJP’s political journey. The BJP had campaigned heavily over the Ram Temple on the disputed site issue ahead of the 1989 elections.
- Sensing the political opportunity the Ram Temple could create, Advani, in September 1990, decided to go for a yatra to educate people about the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, which had so far been propagated by the VHP mainly.
Babri Masjid demolition on December 6, 1992
- Frenzied karsevaks, inspired by the calls of the BJP and VHP leaders, clambered up the domes of the 16th century Babri Masjid and pulled it down, again breaking the assurances given to the Centre and the state governments.
- The communal violence this sparked across the country left almost 2,000 people dead. President’s Rule was imposed in several states, dismissing the BJP governments in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh.
Liberhan Commission
- The justice M S Liberhan Commission of inquiry was appointed within two weeks of the demolition and was asked to submit a report within three months.
- The Commission availed 48 extensions and finally submitted its 10,000-page report on January 30, 2009.
The legal battle is back in April 2002
- The HC ordered the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to excavate the site and determine if it was a temple earlier.
- In 2003, ASI found evidence of the presence of a temple under the mosque. This re-energized the VHP, and its chief Ashok Singhal asked the then-BJP government to make a legislation to hand over the site to the Hindus so that the construction of the temple could begin.
- In September 2010, the High Court ruled that the disputed land should be divided into three parts, a third should go to Ram Lalla Virajman, represented by the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha; one-third to the Sunni Waqf Board; and the remaining to the Nirmohi Akhara.
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