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 Uttar Pradesh. 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.
Tension flared up in 1992 when supporters of VHP, Shiv Sena and BJP demolished the Babri mosque, stirring up nationwide riots between Hindus and Muslims which left more than 2,000 people dead.
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 24 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.
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 judgement on the dispute may take years to come.
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