On December 6, Babri Masjid was razed down in a broad day light by Hindu extremists led by Advani.
MD Ali/The Newster
December 6, 1992, more than 150000 gathered around Babri Masjid to raze it down to dust in an attempt to expunge the Mosque built by Mughal emperor Babar from the annals of history. Before 1992, December 6 was known as the death anniversary of Baba Sahab Ambedkar. But on the very same day, Hindu extremists chose to not only demolish the Babri Masjid but also tried to saffronise the secular fabric of the country guaranteed by the Indian constitution drafted by Ambedkar.
This did not happen over the night. A long, politically and electorally motivated struggle was planned that gave BJP unprecedented mileage in Indian politics.
Take a look at how the catastrophe unfolded that shook the very foundation of constitution.
The tussle of worship first began in 1853 during the reign of Nawad of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah, when Nirmohi Akhada, a sect of Hindus claimed to be a temple beneath the foundation of Babri Masjid. They believed that the site belongs to the temple for Hindus as it is the birth place of Sri Ram.
During the British colonial era, in 1859, the administration tried to quench the issue by bifurcating the site into two, one for the Muslims who were allowed in the inner court while Hindus were allowed in the outer court.
In January 1885, Mahant Raghubir Das filed a plea in Faizabad district court to build Ram Chabutra, which was later rejected by the court.
In March, 1934, the Mosque attacked by local Hindus damaging some part of it, which was rebuilt by the British government.
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In 1947, the Faizabad district court rules that case for the mosque will be fight from the Sunni Waqf Board, not the Shia Waqf Board.
In 1949, the idol of Ram was placed inside the mosque by Hindu groups. Subsequently, both the parties filed law suit. Justice K.K. Nayar refused to remove idol from the mosque. The government locked the mosque and pronounced the site disputed. Notably, Justice Nayar joined the Jan Sangh (Today’s BJP) later and become Member of Parliament.
In 1950, the local court grant permission to worship idols on the request of Mahant Paramhans Ramchandra while the inner part of the mosque was remained locked.
In 1959, Nirmohi Akhada filed a plea seeking permission to become custodian of the disputed site.
In 1961, Sunni Waqf Board filed case against the placement of idols in the mosque and request permission for the prayers.
In 1961, on the plea of Hari Shankar Dubey, the local court to ordered to open the gate of the mosque so that Hindus can perform Puja at the place. The Muslim was discontented by the decision and created a Babri Masjid Action Committee. 1984, many Hindu groups and BJP leaders gathered around the Babri Masjid with an objective to build Ram Temple at the site. L.K A
dvani becomes leader of the movement who started Rath Yatras for the construction of Ram Mandir. That year, BJP fought Lok Sabha elections but won only 2 out of 541.
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In 1989, Deoki Nandan Agrawal, the vice president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and former judge, filed a law suit and asked court for shifting the mosque elsewhere. On 9th November 1989, VHP laid foundation of Ram Temple by the permission of Rajeev Gandhi government.
On 25th September 1990, BJP Leader L.K Advani started rallies as Rath Yatras to fuel support for their Ram Temple Campaign. He started his first Rath Yatra from Bihar’s Samastipur but got arrested by the then Lalu Yadav’s government.
On October 30, 1990, twenty Kar Sevaks killed in police firing as they clashed with police while reaching to Babri Masjid, which triggered communal violence in the state.
On 6th of December 1992, when mob of over 150000 gathered at Babri Masjid site and demolished the mosque in broad day light under the leadership of L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi and the terror did not stop only there, the same evening, Kar sevaks started attacking in Muslims of the area. They demolished 23 mosques of Ayodhya and nearly 18 Muslims were killed, houses and properties were burned down. Subsequently, a series of riots broke out in the country which claimed at least 2000 lives.
Several cases lodged against the leaders of VHP, Shiv Sena and BJP including Ashok Singhal, L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh, Uma Bharti , Bal Thakrey and others.
16th December 1992, Narsimha Rao government formed Liberhan Commission to investigate into the matter.
In 1994, Kalyan Singh found guilty by the Supreme Court of India and sentenced for one day imprisonment with Rs 20000 fine.
In 2001, during NDA government, all charges and proceedings were dropped from accused that includes Advani, M.M. Joshi, Uma Bharti, Bal Thackeray and others by the special CBI court.
In 2009, after 17 years Liberhan Commission submitted its report and found Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh, Pramod Mahajan, Uma Bharti and Vijayaraje Scindia, and VHP leader Ashok Singhal and Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, RSS leader K. N. Govindacharya culpable in the demolition of Babri Masjid.
In 2010, Allahabad High Court divided the disputed site into three parts. Two-thirds portion were given to Hindu plaintiffs and one-third was given to the Sunni Muslim Waqf Board.
In 2011, Hindu and Muslim plaintiffs applied against the HC verdict. Supreme Court reviewed and dissolved the High Court decision.
In 2017, Supreme Court of India gave assent for criminal proceeding against L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Union minister Uma Bharti, in addition to other BJP members and other Kar Sevaks, who will face charges of criminal conspiracy in the Babri Masjid demolition case, but many of accused died during trial including Shiv Sena’s Bal Thackeray. The then CM of Uttar Pradesh exempted from the case as he was the governor of Rajasthan.
On 9th November 2019, the Supreme Court of India decreed in the case, pronouncing that the Babri Masjid land will be given to Hindu plaintiffs and Sunni Waqf Board will be given a separate 5 acre land in Ayodhya.
On August 5, 2020, Bhoomi Pujan ceremony held at the site where Babro Masjid once stood. The ceremony was attended by none other than the “secular” Prime Minister of the country, Mr. Narendra Modi.
On 30 September, 2020: All accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case, which includes former deputy prime minister L.K. Advani, former Union ministers Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh and others proved not guilty and acquitted by the special CBI court.
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