Babri Masjid Demolition: A Timeline of Events From 1528 to 2020
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 5, 2020 laid the foundation stone of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, one of the most awaited moments in the country. The apex court on November 9 last year had paved the way for the construction of a Ram Temple by a trust at the disputed Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid site at Ayodhya, and directed the Centre to allot an alternative five-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a new mosque at a “prominent” place in the town in Uttar Pradesh.
28 years after the Babri Masjid structure was demolished on December 6, 1992, by ‘kar sevaks’ who claimed that the mosque in Ayodhya was built on the site of an ancient Ram temple, take a look at the timeline of events:
1528: Babri Masjid built by Mir Baqi, commander of Mughal emperor Babur
1885: Mahant Raghubir Das files plea in Faizabad district court seeking permission to build a canopy outside the disputed structure. Court rejects the plea
1949: Idols of Ram Lalla placed under central dome outside the disputed structure
– 1950: Gopal Simla Visharad files suit in Faizabad district court for right to worship the idols of Ram Lalla
Paramahansa Ramachandra Das files suit for continuation of worship and keeping the idols
– 1959: Nirmohi Akhara files suit seeking possession of the site
– 1961: UP Sunni Central Waqf Board files suit for possession of the site
– Feb 1986: Local court orders the government to open the site to Hindu worshippers
– Aug 1989: Allahabad HC orders status quo in respect of the disputed structure
– Dec 6, 1992: Babri Masjid demolished
– Dec 1992: Two FIRs filed in the case. One against unknown kar sevaks for demolition of the mosque. The other names BJP leaders L K Advani, M M Joshi and others for allegedly giving communal speeches before the demolition
– Oct 1993: CBI files composite charge sheet accusing Advani and others of conspiracy
– May 2001: Special CBI court drops proceedings against Advani, Joshi, Uma Bharti, Bal Thackeray and others
– Nov 2004: CBI challenges before the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court the dropping of proceedings against BJP leaders on technical grounds. Court issues notices
– May 2010: High court dismisses plea. Says no merit in CBI’s revision petition
– Sep 2010: In a 2:1 majority, HC rules three-way division of disputed area between Sunni Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla
– May 2011: SC stays HC verdict on Ayodhya land dispute
– Feb 2011: CBI moves Supreme Court against high court order in the mosque demolition case
– Mar 2017: SC indicates it may consider reviving conspiracy charge against the BJP leaders in Babri Masjid demolition case
– SC suggests fresh attempts to resolve Ayodhya dispute
– April: SC favours time-bound completion of trial in the case and reserves order on CBI’s plea
– SC restores criminal conspiracy charge against leaders including Advani, Joshi and Uma Bharti and clubs the trials in the matters pending against VIPs and kar sevaks
– Nov 2019: SC grants entire disputed land in Ayodhya to deity Ram Lalla, directs govt to allot an alternative five-acre plot to Muslims to build mosque
– Aug 2020: PM Narendra Modi conducts ‘bhoomi pujan’ in Ayodhya, launches construction of Ram temple
– Supreme Court extends by a month the deadline for completion of trial in the Babri Masjid demolition case
-Sep 30: Special Judge S K Yadav delivers judgment in the mosque demolition case, all accused acquitted.
-Dec 4: SC dismisses plea to have govt nominees in trust to build mosque in Ayodhya
