Ayodhya verdict: A timeline of decades old Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute

The Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute has its genesis in the mosque built by Babar in 1528. The Hindus have forever claimed that it sits atop the ruins of a Ram temple demolished by Babar’s men. For them, the site also marks Ram’s birthplace. The Supreme Court on Saturday ordered setting up of a trust that would eventually pave the way for construction of a temple in Ayodhya. Mint takes you through the timeline of the matter. It also orders allotting 5 acres to for building a mosque.

1528

A mosque is built on the site by Mughal emperor Babar which Hindus allege is the birth place of Lord Ram and site of an earlier temple.

1859

British officials erect a fence to separate the places of worships, allowing the inner court to be used by Muslims and the outer court by Hindus.

1885

Mahant Raghubir Das files a suit seeking permission to build a temple on Ram chabootra but his plea was rejected a year after by the Faizabad district court.

23 Dec, 1949

Idol of Lord Ram surfaces inside mosque. Muslims claim that it was kept there by the Hindus on the intervening night of 22-23 December. Muslims protest and both parties file civil suits.The government terms the premises a disputed area and locks the gates.

16 Jan, 1950

First title suit is filed by Gopal Singh Visharad asking for the right to worship the idols installed at ‘Asthan Janmabhoomi’.

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1959

Nirmohi Akhara enters the fray and files the third suit, seeking 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.

18 Dec, 1961

UP Sunni Central Board of Waqf moves in to claim possession of the mosque and adjoining land.

1983

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) starts nationwide movement for construction of temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

1 Feb, 1986

On a plea of Hari Shanker Dubey, a district judge directs Masjid gates to be unlocked to allow ‘darshan’. Muslims 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 HC.

Nov, 1989

VHP carries out Shilanyas ceremony in Ayodhya and the first stone of the planned Ram temple is put in place.

Dec, 1989

VP Singh becomes Prime Minister of the country and Janata Dal-led National Front government comes to power.

Sep, 1990

BJP leader LK Advani starts yatra from Somnath in Gujarat to Ayodhya. Advani gets arrested in Bihar during the yatra.

Nov, 1990

Karsevaks under VHP leaders clash with Uttar Pradesh police in Ayodhya, police uses force to control the crowd. Scores of karsevaks are killed.

10 Nov, 1990

Chandra Shekhar becomes Prime Minister with the help of Congress.

1991

BJP becomes the biggest opposition party in Lok Sabha after general elections with 120 seats.

June, 1991

BJP comes to power in Uttar Pradesh, Kalyan Singh becomes Chief Minister.

6 Dec, 1992

This marks the turning point of the entire dispute when Babri mosque is razed to the ground by supporters of the VHP, the Shiv Sena and the BJP, prompting nationwide communal riots between Hindus and Muslims in which more than 2,000 people die.

May, 1996

BJP becomes single largest party in Lok Sabha elections, Atal Bihari Vajpayee becomes PM for 13 days.

Mar 1998

BJP returns to power with Atal Bihari Vajpayee as PM for second time. The government last 13 months.

Oct, 1999

BJP again comes to power at the Centre with a coalition of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and completes full term.

Apr, 2002

Three Allahabad High Court judges begin hearings on determining who owns the religious site.

30 Sep, 2010

Allahabad High Court gives verdict. A three-judge bench of the Allahabad high court partitions 2.77 acres 2:1 between Hindu and Muslim groups.

9 May, 2011

SC stays the verdict of the Allahabad High Court order splitting the disputed site in three parts and says that status quo will remain.

8 Mar, 2019

SC constitutes a mediation panel with FM Kalifulla as the chairman and comprising spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu, to mediate in the land title dispute.

2 Aug, 2019

SC announces that on basis of the report submitted by the Chairman of the committee, the mediation has failed. The court orders day-to-day hearing of the case from 6 August.

6 Aug, 2019

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, and comprising Justices Sharad Arvind Bopde, Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and Abdul Nazeer begins day-to-day hearing of the case.

9 Nov, 2019

The almost 70-year long dispute comes to an end. The five-judge bench orders setting up of a trust that will eventually pave the way for construction of a temple at Ayodhya. It also orders allotting 5 acres to Muslims in Ayodhya for building a mosque.