Ayodhya Land Dispute: Soon the final verdict will be given, let’s take look at its history
The Ayodhya land dispute or Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid dispute is a socio-religious debate for more than a century now. The whole dispute revolves around the land in Ayodhya, a city located in Uttar Pradesh’s Faizabad district. The site is regarded holy for Hindus as they believe it to be the birthplace of Lord Rama.
History
It is believed by Hindus that a Hindu temple was demolished to build up a mosque which is now known as Babri Masjid. The other community says that the land is their sacred religious place, built by Mir Baqi in 1528. And Muslims also say that Hindus desecrated it in 1949 when few people entered the mosque under the cover of dark light and put idols of Lord Ram. Hindus believe that the idols of Lord Ram and Sita incarnated in the premises.
What is the Ayodhya Land Dispute?
The Babri Masjid was demolished during the political rally on December 6, 1992. This led to riots in various parts of the country. More than 1,000 people were killed in these riots.
In a historic hearing, Allahabad High Court divided the disputed land of 2.77 acres into three equal parts to Ram Lala, Sunni Waqf Board and Nirmohi Akhara. Ram Lalla or Infant Rama is represented by Hindu Maha Sabha who wants to construct the Ram temple. Sunni Waqf Board is representing the Islamic viewpoint in the case.
The three-judge bench which pronounced the judgment was not unequivocal that Babri Masjid was constructed after the demolition of a temple. However, the bench did agree that a temple or a temple structure predated the mosque at the same site.
The excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India was used by the court as evidence to find that the predating structure was a massive Hindu religious building.
How did the dispute begin?
Idols of Lord Ram and Sita were placed inside the mosque in December 1949 in an attempt to stake the claim of Lord Ram’s birthplace and convert the existing mosque into a Hindu temple. The then Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru asked the UP CM, GB Pant, to remove the idols from the mosque premises.
Read more: Section 144 imposed in Ayodhya: SC hearing in land dispute enters the last leg
Many Hindu nationalist leaders dismissed Nehru’s concern and refused to remove the idols. A dispute broke out and it led to the lockdown of the mosque gates for the next 40 years.
The Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute has remained a subject of focus since then. In the most recent follow-up, the Supreme Court has completed hearings of the case and is expected to put a judgment by November 17 when the CJI retires.
Latest Updates
Supreme Court designated a three-member mediation panel in March for Ayodhya Land Dispute, but it didn’t work. After the failure of the mediation panel, the Supreme Court started day-to-day proceedings for more than 40 days till 16th October and now the 5-judge-bench is all set to come with a judgment between 8th November to 15th November.
It has taken almost 9 years for Supreme Court to finish the hearing proceedings as Sunni Waqf Board and Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha moved to Supreme Court on December 2010 to challenge the verdict of Allahabad Court.
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