History of Ram Mandir legal battle
Here, take a check list on the history of the protracted legal battle, which has its genesis in the 16th century.
*1528: A mosque is built on the site by Mughal emperor Babar which Hindus say was done after demolishing a temple marking the birthplace of Lord Ram
*1853: First recorded incidents of communal violence at the disputed site
*1859: British officials erect a fence to separate the places of worship, allowing the inner court to be used by Muslims and the outer court by Hindus
* 1885: Nirmohi Akhara’s Mahant Raghubar Das, in a Suit No. 61/280 of 1885 filed in the Court of the Faizabad Sub Judge against the Secretary of State for India (then based in London), and prayed for permission to build a temple inside the mosque and a canopy on the Ram Chabootra.
* March 18, 1886: His petition was dismisses by a Sub-Judge, an Englishman. However, he had ruled, “It is most unfortunate that a Masjid should have been built on land specially held sacred by the Hindus. But as the event occurred 358 years ago, it is too late now to remedy the grievance.”
Many say the court admittance in that ruling on the presence of a temple earlier had actually ignited the hopes for the Hindus to reclaim the site.
*1949: Faizabad District Magistrate K K K Nayar reported to have got a wireless message on November 29, 1949 from the district police that some miscreants would on December 22/23, 1949, “force entry into the mosque and install a deity”. Idol of Lord Ram surfaces inside mosque. Muslims claim that it was kept there by Hindus. Both parties file civil suits. The government proclaims the premises a disputed area and locks the gates.
*Jan, 1950: The first title suit filed by Gopal Singh Visharad asking for the right to worship the idols installed at Sthan Janmabhoomi. The court restrained the removal of idols and allowed the worship to continue
*April, 1950: The state of UP appeals against the injunction order
*1950: Ramchandra Paramhans files another suit, but withdraws later.
*1959: Nirmohi Akhara enters the fray and files the third suit, seeks possession of the site, doing away with the court-appointed receiver. It claims itself to be the custodian of the spot at which Ram was supposedly born.
*Dec, 1961: UP Sunni Central Board of Waqfs moves in to claim possession of the mosque and adjoining land.
*1986: On a plea of Hari Shanker Dubey, a district judge directs Masjid gates to be unlocked to allow darshan; Muslim groups set up Babri Masjid Action Committee.
*1989: A fresh suit is filed by former VHP vice-president Deoki Nandan Agarwala in the name of Lord Ram for declaration of the title and possession in its favour at the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court.
* 23 Oct, 1989: All the four suits, pending before a Faizabad court transferred to a special bench of the High Court.
*Nov 9, 1989: VHP lays foundations of a Ram temple on land adjacent to the disputed mosque.
"If the Shilanyas marked the beginning of the fall of the Congress, then India’s leading political party, the Ram Mandir Bhumi Poojan ceremony signifies the emergence of the new politics brought in by the BJP," says 'Indian Express'
*1990: VHP volunteers partially damage the mosque. Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar tries to resolve the dispute through negotiations, which fails the next year
*6 Dec, 1992: The disputed mosque is demolished by Hindu hardline groups prompting nationwide communal riots which claimed more than 2,000 lives. On 16 December same year the Justice Liberhan Commission was set up to inquire into the demolition of disputed structure within six months
* January 7, 1993, the President promulgated the “Acquisition of Central Area at Ayodhya Ordinance” acquiring the site of the mosque – later enacted as an Act of Parliament and asked the Supreme Court for its advisory opinion on this question
*July, 1996: Allahabad High Court clubs all civil suits
*2002: The High Court directs the Archaeological Survey of India to excavate the site to determine if a temple lay underneath. In April, 2002 three High Court judges begin hearing
*2003: A 14-member ASI team begins a court-ordered survey to find out whether a temple to Lord Ram existed at the site. In August the survey says there is “evidence” of a temple beneath the mosque. Muslim groups dispute the findings
*2005: Suspected Islamic militants attack the disputed site. Security forces kill five people
* June, 2009: Liberhan commission investigating events leading up to the mosque demolition submits its report blames Sangh Parivar, BJP and leaders like L K Advani and Kalyan Singh for the destruction in a pre-planned manner
*July 2010: Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court reserves its order on the suits, fixes 24 September for pronouncement of verdict
* 17 Sep, 2010: HC refuses to defer pronouncement of the verdict as pleaded by one of the parties ~ RC Tripathi ~ in the suit. Four days later Tripathi approaches Supreme Court against HC order. A bench refuses to take up the case. Matter referred to another bench
* 23 Sep, 2010: Stage set for imminent pronouncement of verdict. Supreme Court takes cognizance of SLP by Tripathi and fixes September 28 for next hearing.
- People in Ayodhya-Faizabad express shock and anger on the delay.
* 28 Sept, 2010: Supreme Court dismisses Tripathi's plea for deferment of the verdict by the High Court.
* 30 Sept: Pronouncement of the judgment by the three-member bench of Allahabad High Court at Lucknow amid unprecedented security.
## Nov 9, 2019 - Supreme Court verdict in favour of Ram Mandir
Aug 5, 2020 --- Bhoomi Pujan for the Grand Ram Temple at Ayodhya
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