The Ayodhya Dispute

The Ayodhya land dispute has been a bone of contention between the country’s Hindus and Muslims for decades. We answer a few key questions about the history of the disputed holy site.

What is the Ayodhya dispute all about?

Hindus and Muslims have quarreled for years over the history of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya a town in the Faizabad district, Uttar Pradesh. (Before the 1940s, the mosque was called Masjid-i Janmasthan ("mosque of the birthplace") acknowledging the site as the birthplace of the Hindu deity, Lord Rama). Hindus claim that the Babri mosque stands over a temple built in honour of Lord Rama. They say that the Babri Mosque was built by Babur’s general, Mir Baqi, on the orders of the Mughal leader Babur post destruction of the Ram Mandir in 1528. When the Muslim emperor Babur came down from Ferghana in 1527, he defeated the Hindu King of Chittodgad, Rana Sangrama Singh at Sikri, using cannon and artillery. After this victory, Babur took over the region, leaving his general, Mir Baqi, in charge as viceroy. Tension flared up in 1992 when supporters of VHP, Shiv Sena and BJP involving 150,000 people demolished the Babri mosque, stirring up nationwide riots between Hindus and Muslims which left more than 2,000 people dead.

This is not a new issue that started in 1992, here is breaf history:

In 1767, Jesuit priest Joseph Tieffenthaler records Hindus worshipping and celebrating Ramanavami (Birth day of Lord Rama) at the site of the mosque. In 1788, Tiefffenthaler's French works are published in Paris, the first to suggest that the Babri Masjid was on the birthplace of SriRama, saying that "Emperor Aurangazeb got demolished the fortress called Ramkot, and erected on the same place a Mahometan temple with three cuppolas" reclaimed by Hindus through numerous wars after death of Aurangzeb in 1707 A.D like they earlier fortified it during Jahangir rule as Ramkot.

Efforts in 1883 to construct a temple on this chabootra were halted by the Deputy Commissioner who prohibited it on January 19, 1885. Raghubir Das, a mahat, filed a suit before the Faizabad Sub-Judge. Pandit Harikishan was seeking permission to construct a temple on this chabootra measuring 17 ft. x 21 ft., but the suit was dismissed.

According to the District Gazetteer Faizabad 1905, "up to this time (1855), both the Hindus and Muslims used to worship in the same building. But since the Mutiny (1857), an outer enclosure has been put up in front of the Masjid and the Hindus forbidden access to the inner yard, make the offerings on a platform (chabootra), which they have raised in the outer one."

During the "communal riots" of 1934, walls around the Masjid and one of the domes of the Masjid were damaged. These were reconstructed by the British Government.

At midnight on December 22, 1949, when the police guards were asleep, statues of Rama and Sita were quietly brought into the mosque and erected. A group of 50-60 persons had entered Babri Mosque after breaking the compound gate lock of the mosque or through jumping across the walls... and established therein an idol of Shri Bhagwan and painted Sita Ram, on the outer and inner walls with geru (red loam)... Afterward, a crowd of 5-6 thousand persons gathered around and while chanting bhajans and raising religious slogans tried to enter the mosque but were deferred.

There were several later mosques in Faizabad District in which pilgrim city of Ayodhya falls. But, Ayodhya has almost negligible Muslim population though there are substantial numbers of Muslims 7 km away at District Headquarters - Faizabad . The Babri Mosque at Ayodhya where Muslims never offered Namaz since 1947.

Since, 1948 Indian Government order Muslims were not even permitted to be near the site for at least 200 yards but locked the main gate and allowed Hindu pilgrims to enter through a side door.

In 1984, the VHP launched a massive movement for the opening of the locks of the mosque, and in 1985 the Rajiv Gandhi government ordered the locks on the Ram Janmabhoomi -Babri Masjid in Ayodhya to be removed. Prior to that date the only Hindu ceremonmy permitted was a Hindu priest performing a yearly puja for the idols there. After the ruling, all Hindus were given access to what they consider the birthplace of Rama, and the mosque gained some function as a Hindu temple.

On 6 December 1992 the structure was demolished by karsevaks.

On 16 December 1992, Liberhan Commission was set up by the Government of India to probe the circumstances that led to the demolition of Babri structure.

On 5 July 2005, the heavily guarded Shri Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid complex, the site of the destroyed Mosque and, according to Hindus, the birthplace of God Shri Ram, at Ayodhya was attacked by heavily-armed terrorists Lashkar-e-Toiba. The attack was foiled by security officials and the attackers were killed. BJP president L.K. Advani called for reinstatement of the Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act (POTA) in the wake of the attack.

On 23 November 2009 the Liberhan commission report was leaked to the media. The one-man panel, one of the country's longest running inquiry commissions, cost the government Rs.8 crore. The report holds 68 people culpable, including L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and more critically, Kalyan Singh, the then-Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. The report accused the RSS of being the chief architect of the demolition and names it as the core of the Sangh Parivar.

Why is the dispute so dangerous?

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said the Ayodhya dispute is one of the biggest security challenges in India this year, along with the Maoist insurgency and the Kashmiri separatist rebellion.

The mosque was demolished by the supporters of VHP, Shiv Sena and BJP in 1992. Supporters of VHP, Shiv Sena and BJP say that they are justified in demolishing the mosque because there used to be a Rama temple on that spot on which the Babri mosque stands now.

In simple words, the Ayodhya land dispute has led to India’s worst bouts of nationwide religious rioting between Hindus and Muslims which left 2,000 people dead.

The Ayodhya land dispute is considered a serious threat to India’s secular identity.

What is the verdict all about?

The court will pass verdict on three key issues:

A) Is the disputed site in Ayodhya the birthplace of Lord Rama?

B) Was the Babri mosque built after the demolition of the Rama temple?

C) Was the mosque built in accordance with the tenets of Islam?

The September 30 judgement on the disputed land will pronounce if a temple will be built on the site or the Babri mosque will be reconstructed.

Is Ayodhya so politically sensitive?

Yes it is; since the country’s main opposition BJP was involved in the destruction of the mosque. For the BJP, the Ayodhya dispute has been a major political agenda and it had come to power at the centre riding on the Ayodhya issue.

But any verdict on the Ayodhya dispute will leave the present ruling coalition at the centre in a soup because endorsing a pro-Hindu verdict will affect the coalition’s secular image, while a pro-Muslim verdict could lead to issuing orders of evicting Hindu groups from the site, which will be a nightmare for the government.

The preparation was accomplished with phenomenal secrecy, was technically flawless with consistency and assured results.... The theme was power. It attracted clusters of young men to support the hidden agenda. Leaders know how passions are aroused and how to prevent the same; they however always see what would be beneficial to them rather than what would be good for the nation. This is what happened in Ayodhya

Will this verdict bring an end to the dispute?

Whatever the verdict may be, it is almost certain that it will be challenged in the Supreme Court and a final judgment on the dispute may take years to come.

Source: http://in.yfittopostblog.com/2010/09/22/qa-the-ayodhya-dispute/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babri_Mosque