Finding the answer to the oldest dispute in Indian history

Rishav Chatterjee

Finding the answer to the oldest dispute in Indian history

The Ayodhya dispute or the Ram Janmabhoomi case is a kerfuffle through which many lines of communalism and polarisation has passed. It had left the nation devastated and divided since time immemorial.

A picture of the Babri Masjid before it was destroyed; Image Source- Latest News Headlines

By catapulting the Ramjanmabhoomi case, the BJP government went from having 2 seats in the 1984 general election to forming a coalition government with VP Singh in 1989. This fervour and frenzy were carried forward by Lal Krishna Advani when he embarked on a Rath Yatra from Somnath Temple to Ayodhya. Throughout this trial, there were numerous killings leading to the arrest of LK Advani.

However, LK Advani was also not one to stop. He incited the public with his fiery speeches. In late November 1992, Kalyan Singh (the then BJP CM of UP) assured the centre that there will be no disturbances in and around the temple but he duplicitously told the Karsevak cadres that no police would fire at them for any of the advances they made.

A crowd cannot think for themselves, they are takeover by a mob mentality. This is exactly what happened on 6th December 1992 when Karsevaks demolished the Babri Masjid with whatever implements they could get their hands on. Soon after this, Kalyan Singh resigned from his post and was imprisoned for contempt of court. It is alleged that over 2000 people died due to the ensuing riots post the demolition.

Lord Ram is one of the most revered gods in Hinduism who was born in Ayodhya, currently situated in Uttar Pradesh. However, the year 1526 marked the beginning of Mughal rule in India under Babar. After he came to power, one of his generals called Mir Baqi built a mosque dedicated to him called the Babri Masjid.

However, some people believed at that point and some still do now that Mir Baqi either demolished a temple commemorating Ram’s birth to build the mosque or he straight up modelled the mosque on the holy temple.

For centuries after this, the Muslims prayed inside the mosque while Hindus continued worshipping the Janmabhoomi outside on a raised platform called Ram Chabutra. In lieu of a lot of rioting, the British government drew a boundary separating the Muslims and the Hindus. In 1885, the priest of the Ram Chabutra pleaded to the Faizabad court to build a temple over the Ram Chabutra but was denied.

Cut to the night of 23rd December 1949 many people reported a bolt of lightning cracking near the Babri Masjid following which they saw the infant incarnation of Ram within the Masjid. This was however a farcical plot, some individuals had placed an idol within the premises of the mosque when no none looking.

Following such strong sentiments, the High Court requested the Archaeological Survey of India to carry out excavations at the disputed site in Ayodhya. The ASI reports were highly controversial as they did not explicitly name the existence of a Ram temple but reported the existence of a large Hindu complex with more than 50 pillars pre-daring the mosque.

As the years rolled, the dispute became more complicated and tangles. It was finally on 9th November 2019 that the Supreme finally sealed this case by offering a verdict. It gave the go-ahead to build a Hindu temple in the disputed spot whilst cautioning the government to allow a 5 acre land in Uttar Pradesh to the Sunni Central Waqf to build a mosque. This was the end of the saga that shaped religious, social and political life for the better part of India’s post-independent era.

Following this, communal tension started brewing in and around Babri Masjid. Taking heed of the situation, the district authorities seized control of the premises. A few months later again the priest of the Ram Chabutra appealed to the court to allow Hindus to pray inside the mosque as idols have been found in it. The court quickly overruled this and ceased the entire property not allowing the entry of Hindus or Muslims.

After this controversial ruling, there was a slew of cases filed by various. On one side Nirmohi Akhara (followers of Ram) wanted control while on the spectrum the Sunni Waqf Board wanted control. These cases raged on till the 1980s after which the Ramjanmabhoomi dispute became the centre of politics in India.

It was in 1984 that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a member of the Sangh Parivar catapulted the issue of the Ayodhya dispute to the forefront of Indian politics with the help of many BJP leaders like Lal Krishna Advani.

During this time, the Congress government at that point in time decided to open the premises for Hindu worship, the entire process was broadcasted on national television. Many say that this was done as an act of appeasement but following this, there were riots and bloodshed everywhere leading to the formation of the Babri Masjid Action Committee (BMAC).

As blood flowed through the country, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court asked the parties to maintain the status quo while a body advocating for building the Ram temple (Karsevaks) went on collecting bricks to rebuild the Ram temple. It was during this time that the fear of demolition of the Babri Masjid started.